William P. Hefner

Bill has practiced environmental law for nearly 30 years as a private practice attorney, as the leader of a global legal team for a multinational corporation and as an assistant attorney general.

Bill draws on this vast combination of corporate and government experience to advise a wide range of clients with environmental, health, safety and product stewardship (EHSPS) regulatory requirements and to defend those clients, when necessary, against federal and state enforcement actions.

Bill has represented businesses in the manufacturing, energy, mining and agribusiness industries. He helps achieve client goals with state and federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He handles a wide range of permitting, compliance and enforcement matters arising under the Clean Air Act, including Title V and other air permits and compliance with New Source Review and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants requirements. Bill also has extensive experience with issues arising under the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the National Environmental Protection Act and their state equivalents. Bill has also helped develop and execute strategic initiatives to manage risk and to anticipate and respond to EHSPS statutory and regulatory developments. 

Prior to joining Fredrikson, Bill served as vice president and associate general counsel of Environment, Health, Safety and Product Stewardship at 3M Corporation. Bill also served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, representing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, before beginning twenty years of private practice. Bill has twice been named “Lawyer of the Year” for Environmental Law in Minneapolis by Best Lawyers and has frequently been named a Best Lawyer and Super Lawyer in Environmental Law.

Environmental Litigation and Enforcement

• Challenged and favorably resolved numerous federal and state enforcement actions alleging violations of Title V permits and other Clean Air Act-related requirements.
• Secured a nearly $10M settlement on behalf of a public university for decades-old contamination of its property.
• Obtained favorable first impression determinations from a state appellate court for client on the topics of regulation of groundwater by NPDES permit, the application of Class I water quality and wild rice sulfate standards to state groundwater.
• Successfully convinced an appellate court to overturn a state agency decision to issue itself a permit to lower a lake’s elevation. The court also determined the agency needed to obtain an NPDES permit to facilitate a discharge from one lake to another, a decision of first impression in the state.
• Filed an amicus brief on behalf of the state Chamber of Commerce in support of state agency and city respondents. Appellate court found in favor of respondents and overturned the district court’s determinations regarding the applicability of the state’s environmental rights act and the public trust doctrine to a citizen suit involving permitted groundwater appropriations.

• Obtained dismissal by federal district court of attempt by a federal court to extend CERCLA operator liability to client because of actions by its subcontractor.

• Negotiated resolution to potential National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 challenges between tribal officials, state agency and municipality to allow the latter to install sewer system in a way that avoided harm to sacred mounds.

Environmental Compliance

• Provided legal advice and support to multinational project to test industrial and stormwater wastewater discharges and air stack emissions for parameters and at a frequency that exceeded permitting and regulatory requirements and to formulate permitting and mitigation responses to the results.

Leadership

• Formulated, recruited and led global legal team providing counseling and support to multinational manufacturing company regarding its compliance with international EHSPS requirements under, e.g., CAA, CWA, CERCLA, RCRA, TSCA, OSHA, Prop 65, REACH and ROHS.

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 1995, special honors with distinction
• University of Iowa Graduate College, M.A., 1995
• University of Iowa, B.A., 1991, special honors with distinction

Admissions

• Minnesota, 1995
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1995
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1995

• “Lawyer of the Year” in Minneapolis for Environmental Law, Best Lawyers®, 2016, 2020
• Environmental Law, Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers®, 2013-2020
• Super Lawyer®, Environmental Law, 2004, 2008, 2015-2020
• AV Preeminent (Highest Ethical Standing), 5.0/5.0 Peer Ratings in areas of Legal Knowledge, Analytical Capability, Judgment, Communication and Legal Experience, Martindale-Hubbell®

Professional Activities

• Minnesota Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board, Member, 2014-2020
• Adjunct Professor, Environmental Law, Hamline University College of Law, 2011-2013
• Chair, 2007-2008; Vice-Chair, 2006-2007; Secretary, 2005-2006; Governing Council Member, 2000-2005; Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2000-2007

Military Experience

• United States Army, Military Intelligence, Top Secret Security Clearance

Community

• Children’s Law Center of Minnesota, Board Member, 2022-present
• Air and Waste Management Association-Upper Midwest Section, Director, Board of Directors, 2017-2020
• Lake Country School, Board of Trustees Member, 2011-2017; Secretary, 2012-2017; Governance Committee Chair, 2015-2017
• Sexual Violence Center, Governing Board Member, 2007-2011; Treasurer, 2009-2011
• Leadership Twin Cities, Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chair, 2006-2007; Planning Committee Member, 2005-2006, 2009-2011