Jeremy P. Greenhouse

Jeremy advises clients regarding regulatory compliance, permitting, enforcement, rulemaking and litigation matters involving all major Minnesota and federal environmental laws.

Jeremy has represented businesses in the mining, agricultural, biofuel and energy industries. He regularly helps achieve client goals with state and federal regulatory agencies, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and he has argued high-profile environmental law cases before Minnesota trial and appellate courts, including the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Jeremy handles a wide range of permitting and compliance matters arising under the Clean Water Act, including issues involving NPDES permits, Section 404 wetland permits, Section 401 certifications, and antidegradation, as well as water issues arising primarily under state law, including Minnesota SDS permits and groundwater regulation. His work includes conducting and challenging environmental review under NEPA and MEPA, as well as advising on New Source Review, Title V Permitting, and other Clean Air Act matters. Jeremy also assists clients regarding brownfields, contaminated property remediation, and legal issues arising under CERCLA and MERLA.

A frequent author and speaker on environmental law matters, Jeremy writes a monthly “Environmental Law Update” for the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Bench & Bar magazine and is past editor of the Federal Bar Association’s Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources newsletter. From 2020-2022, Jeremy was named by Thomson Reuters as a Minnesota Super Lawyer for environmental law. In addition to his environmental law practice, Jeremy provides pro bono representation for low-income tenants and home buyers, through organizations including the Hennepin County Housing Court Clinic and the City of Lakes Community Land Trust.

Environmental Litigation

• Negotiated a dismissal with prejudice of all claims filed against an agricultural company in a lawsuit brought by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that alleged willful violations of NPDES permit conditions and sought over a half million dollars in civil penalties in addition to attorney’s fees. No payment was required as part of the settlement.
• Represented taconite mining company in appeal of first Minnesota reissuance of tailings basin NPDES permit in three decades, arguing environmental issues of first impression before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court.
• Represented agricultural company in proceeding before the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings, obtaining an order that a longstanding water quality policy of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was invalid as an unadopted rule.
• Represented major municipality in negotiating favorable settlement of Endangered Species Act action.
• Defended wastewater treatment facility against Clean Water Act citizen suit.
• Represented international airport in negotiating amendment to consent decree with multiple municipalities concerning noise mitigation.
• Co-drafted amicus brief to Minnesota Supreme Court for national trade association on “sham permitting” under the Clean Air Act.
• Co-drafted amicus brief to Minnesota Supreme Court for business association concerning the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act and the Public Trust Doctrine.

Environmental Compliance

• Conducted multi-media environmental audits for numerous sites of major manufacturing company, assessing compliance with regulatory requirements relating to air emissions, wastewater, stormwater, hazardous waste, EPCRA, storage tanks, and spill reporting, among others.
• Represented agricultural company in working with state environmental protection agency to develop and finalize unique, multi-site individual industrial stormwater permit.
• Represented manufacturing company in reaching favorable settlement of Title V air permit enforcement action by state pollution agency.
• Led external legal team for international manufacturing company project to identify and address wastewater and stormwater compliance issues in facilities across the U.S.
• Assisted manufacturing company in responding to EPA Clean Air Act information request.

Natural Resources

• Represented taconite company regarding transfer of environmental liabilities associated with closed mine site.
• Advised real estate purchaser on private and potential public water rights to ephemeral stream crossing the target property.
• Advised mining company on transfer of water appropriation rights.
• Advised mining company on numerous issues regarding mine pit progression project, including environmental review, state and federal water-discharge permitting, antidegradation, and water appropriation.
• Advised non-ferrous mining company on permitting issues for proposed mining project, including those relating to mining, dam safety, surface and groundwater discharges, water appropriation, air emissions, environmental review, and wetlands.

Energy

• Advised biofuel company on air permitting strategies for new biofuel manufacturing facility.
• Represented ethanol trade group as part of national team drafting and filing successful Clean Air Act fuel waiver petition for E15.
• Negotiated easement agreement for client concerning carbon sequestration pipeline.

Contaminated Property

• Negotiated settlement to Superfund lawsuit for responsible party, including remediation access agreement and traffic management plan.
• Drafted and negotiated numerous access agreements concerning contaminated property remediation under CERCLA and MERLA.
• Represented taconite mining company in transfer of contaminated legacy mine site, including allocation of environmental liabilities and permit responsibilities, and amendment of consent decree.
• Represented manufacturing company in stock purchase transaction, addressing all environment issues, including allocation of liability, review of Phase I and Phase II reports, and transfer of permits.
• Advised manufacturing company on settlement of liability for cleanup of Superfund site in Illinois; negotiated settlement terms.

Education

• William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 2003, magna cum laude
• University of Victoria, M.A., 1994
• McGill University, B.Mus., 1990, with honors

Admissions

• Minnesota, 2003

• Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2024
• Minnesota Super Lawyers, Environmental Law, 2020-2022
• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2019-2020
• Best Article of the Year Award, Bench & Bar of Minnesota, 2014

Professional Activities

• Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee, Member
• Air and Waste Management Association, Member
• Minnesota State Bar Association’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Council, Former Member
• Federal Bar Association’s Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Newsletter, Past Editor

Community

• Volunteer Lawyers Network, Advocate for Low-Income Tenants in the Twin Cities 
• Saints Luke and James Episcopal Church, Member and Volunteer Musician, Minneapolis; Former Member, Vestry and Finance Committee
• Twin Cities Adult Hockey League, Team Member
• Celtic, Cajun and Folk Music at various venues and festivals, Musician