Environmental Law
Environmental law is often highly technical and complex, and Braaten Law Firm prides itself on having the most in-depth environmental law practice in North Dakota serving family farmers, ranchers, and the public. It is our policy to not advise or represent large corporations and polluters, so that we never have a conflict when a landowner comes to us with an issue requiring expertise in environmental law.
Most of the attorneys at Braaten Law Firm have extensive experience with environmental law. They work closely with Derrick Braaten, who has years of experience with complex litigation, including extensive work on oil and gas, agricultural, and natural resources law. Our collective background and experience enables us to give sophisticated advice to family farmers and ranchers on compliance with environmental rules, clean-up of saltwater and other spills, and general environmental issues affecting the health of the land and the people living and working the land.
In addition to advising our farmer, rancher, and landowner clients on compliance, our environmental practice also includes an extensive plaintiff and public interest environmental litigation practice. We have successfully sued major companies, including oilfield companies, on behalf of landowners and community groups in cases dealing with environmental disasters or environmental non-compliance to ensure that the responsible party is held accountable. Just as importantly, we regularly work with farmers, ranchers, and public interest groups to ensure that environmental permits proposed by North Dakota state government agencies for industrial facilities adequately protect the public and guard against future environmental problems.
Our attorneys occasionally give informational presentations, free of charge, to the public about environmental law throughout North Dakota on topics as far-ranging as the Clean Water Act for farmers and ranchers, surface mining and reclamation requirements, citizen enforcement of environmental laws, and oilfield environmental rules. Although we recognize that development always comes with some costs, on behalf of our clients and the public, we demand that environmental regulations are followed by the regulated community. Equally important, we also hold the agencies responsible for enforcing these laws accountable to their legal mandates.
