Introduction

Jeremy is an associate with Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy, Real Estate, and Environmental Law Groups. Jeremy utilizes his knowledge of environmental law, land use, and real estate law to help clients develop and permit a variety of projects and properties. As part of the Energy Group, Jeremy advises clients on regulatory and environmental permitting and compliance and he reviews and drafts lease and easement agreements. He assists real estate clients with commercial and residential transactions, entitlement, and permitting. 

Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Jeremy worked as a biologist for two state agencies and as an environmental consultant for regional and international consulting firms. Jeremy’s expertise in environmental matters is exemplified by his technical background and authorship or co-authorship of ten scientific publications.

Education

• William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2011
• South Dakota State University, M.S., 2004
• Iowa State University, B.S., 2000

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota

Practice Areas

• Energy
• Renewable Energy
• Real Estate
• Environmental Law

Representative Experience

Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Jeremy handled permitting, environmental assessments and approvals for a wide variety of renewable energy and real estate development projects:

• Served as project manager for the environmental assessment and permitting of a 41 MW Large Wind Energy Conversion System in Minnesota. Assisted client in securing a state site permit from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and coordinated agency consultations of the project, including DNR, US Fish and Wildlife, and State Historical Preservation.  
• Served as project manager for the environmental assessment and permitting of a 147-lot residential development in Plymouth, Minnesota. Completed all environmental aspects of this project, including: environmental assessments; agency consultations; endangered species review; state and federal wetlands permitting; mitigation design; and permit compliance oversight and guidance. Was a pivotal player in agency coordination and City Council presentations in order to gain project approvals.
• Environmental review/NEPA: Served as lead project scientist for the evaluation of 14,000-sq. mile river watershed. Coordinated and held public and agency meetings to present project progress, receive comments, and scope future work; prepared a watershed assessment and management plan, which provided watershed restoration alternatives to reduce floods and restore the ecology of 475-mi of the river.
• Assessed project permit conditions and provided regulatory guidance for a community wind project to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.  Conducted the necessary studies and secured additional necessary local, state, and federal permits. Provided on-call compliance services during construction to respond to permit compliance questions and analyzed permit conditions as they related to project scenarios and provided recommendations to ensure compliance.
• Conducted baseline water quality sampling on a proposed ethanol plant for alternative industrial water discharge locations within the watershed of the Cannon River, an Outstanding Resource Value Water. Assisted in the environmental assessment of the proposed plant to document the potential for project impacts.
• Conducted a wetland delineation and coordinated preparation of environmental assessment worksheet and state and federal wetland permits for a residential development.  The development entailed construction of 300 homes on 108 acres.
• Assisted in environmental surveys, North Dakota Public Service Corporation route permit application for project interconnection transmission line, operations & maintenance facility permitting, and US Fish and Wildlife Service grassland easement negotiations for a 180 MW wind farm in the Dakotas. 
• Conducted a regulatory analysis for a major utility to determine conditions imposed or recommended on wind farms in Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The analysis provided the utility with a risk assessment for proceeding with wind farm development in the respective states.
• Served as the lead environmental scientist for evaluation, delineation, and permitting of wetland in an expansive wetland complex for a residential development. Assisted developer’s legal counsel in gaining local, state, and federal approvals for approximately 16 acres of wetland impact and the design and approval of 25 acres of mitigation.
• Served as project lead for permitting a 224 MW wind energy project in the Midwest. Conducted a screening analysis of local, state, and federal permit requirements and developed a regulatory permitting strategy to ensure the proposed project and its associated transmission line were in compliance with applicable regulations. Coordinated and supervised field work to collect the necessary information for future permitting requirements.

Selected Publications & Presentations

• “Greenway planning through watershed and river restoration: A case study of the James River, South Dakota, USA,” co-authored with R.G. Wiebe, Watershed Management: Case Studies, Icfai Press, India, 2008
• Presenter, “Greenway planning through watershed and river restoration: A case study of the James River, South Dakota, USA,” with R.G. Wiebe, Fabos Landscape Planning and Greenway Symposium, U.Mass, 2007
• Presenter, “Data Overload? Reducing flood damages in the James River after 80+ years of study,” Minnesota Association of Flood Plain Managers Annual Meeting, 2007

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association

Honors & Distinctions

• Certified Fisheries Professional FP-C: License # 3029
• Professional Wetland Scientist PWS: License # 2008
• Certified Wetland Delineator, Minnesota WDC: License # 1158

Community Involvement

• Twin Cities Big Brothers Big Sisters, Volunteer
• Westridge Lake Estates Homeowners Association, Board of Directors
• First American Eagle-1, Ltd. (proposed South Dakota wind farm projects), Past Advisory Board Member
• North Scott County Land Trust, Past Member