LeAnn Johnson Koch
- Washington, D.C.
LeAnn has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in the petroleum refining industry, the energy industry, and other environmental sectors.
LeAnn Johnson Koch counsels clients on environmental compliance matters, enforcement defense, rulemaking proceedings, permitting actions, and transactions. She has substantial experience defending administrative, civil judicial, and criminal enforcement of environmental laws. She has represented numerous clients negotiating consent decrees under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Petroleum Refining Initiative. LeAnn also helps clients respond to environmental emergencies, including oil spills, explosions, and fires.
Clients trust LeAnn for guidance on compliance with complex technical regulatory obligations under federal environmental statutes and their state-level counterparts. She focuses on Clean Air Act matters, including climate change, New Source Review regulations/Prevention of Significant Deterioration requirements (NSR/PSD), Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, and New Source Performance Standards. LeAnn helps companies navigate a variety of compliance issues, from providing quick answers about regulatory applicability to crafting sophisticated solutions to address ambiguous regulatory requirements.
LeAnn also advises clients on fuels issues, including the renewable fuel standard, low sulfur gasoline, low sulfur diesel, exhaust toxics, and petitions for waivers or relief as required. She handles air permitting matters of all sizes, which involve cutting-edge issues like NSR/PSD, flaring, climate change, impacts on endangered species, and innovative technologies.
LeAnn assists with the environmental aspects of such transactions as purchasing, selling, and leasing industrial facilities. Clients turn to her to conduct environmental due diligence, qualify sites under state Brownfields programs and negotiated cleanup programs, and provide financial assurance with EPA and state agencies.
In her air practice, LeAnn represents manufacturers, vendors, and retailers of vehicles and engines manufactured overseas and imported into the United States. She provides these clients with mobile source counseling, including enforcement defense related to engine certification and EPA regulation of tailpipe emissions.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., 1990
- Boston University, B.A., 1987
Bar and Court Admissions
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District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Related Employment
- DLA Piper, Washington, D.C., Partner
Professional Recognition
Ranked by Chambers USA as "America's Leading Lawyers" for Environment, 2015-2024
Listed in Expert Guides – the World’s Leading Lawyers Chosen by Their Peers for Energy and Environment - United States, 2017-2021
Listed in Expert Guides Women in Business Law for Environment - United States, 2016-2022
