Introduction

Alan is a member of the firm’s Energy and Renewable Energy groups. He has extensive experience in environmental and energy related matters. For more than 25 years, Alan was an Assistant Attorney General representing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board in various matters involving rulemaking, permitting, and enforcement. He has argued cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court, and the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

From 2001 - 2005, Alan was the manager of the Energy Facility Permitting Program at the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board. During this time, Alan drafted rules for implementation of permitting and environmental review requirements for large energy projects and managed EQB review of permit applications for several wind projects, power plants, transmission lines, and pipelines. Alan also assisted in the drafting of the Energy Security and Reliability Act of 2001.

Education

• University of Oregon School of Law, J.D., 1971
• Michigan Technology University, B.A., 1966

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1972

Practice Areas

• Energy
• Renewable Energy

Representative Experience

• Assisted in the Big Stone II matter, a 500 MW supercritical pulverized coal plant in South Dakota with transmission lines in South Dakota and Minnesota.
• Assisted Minnesota Transmission Owners, an organization of 19 utilities with transmission lines in Minnesota, in the preparation of the Biennial Transmission Projects Report in 2005 and 2007.
• Assisted the MTO utilities with preparation of the Renewable Energy Standards Report in November 2007.
• Represented developer in obtaining regulatory approvals in Minnesota for a 200 MW wind project.
• Represented the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on various matters while Assistant Attorney General, including complex superfund litigation, air quality standards, hazardous waste rules, and water quality programs.
• Represented the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board with implementation of the state environmental review program.

Selected Publications & Presentations

• “Mega What? Navigating the Minnesota Regulatory Process for Large Energy Facilities,” Environmental Law Institute, April 2006
• “State Review of Large Energy Facilities,” Environmental Law Institute, May 2003
• Frequent lecturer at continuing legal education seminars on environmental issues

Professional Activities

• Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law, Hamline University School of Law, 1995-2004
• Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law, University of Minnesota Law School, 1994, 1996, and 2000, Practitioner-in-Residence July - December 1994
• Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law, William Mitchell College of Law, 1990-1991

Honors & Distinctions

• Douglas K. Amdahl Public Attorney Career Achievement Award, Public Law Section, Minnesota State Bar Association, May 2006

Community Involvement

• City Councilman, Birchwood, Minnesota, 2000-2006