FaegreBD Consulting is at the cutting edge of American law and public policy as the energy sector transforms and environmental policy changes. The executive and legislative branches of the federal government are considering whether and how to forge ahead with a number of complex energy and environmental laws and regulations that could impact almost every sector of the economy. What is clear is that corporate decisions will have to be made today in anticipation of federal and state legal requirements tomorrow.

FaegreBD Consulting is uniquely positioned to assist clients in understanding the potential threats and opportunities presented by the federal regulatory landscape and in developing and executing federal and state government relations programs to realize our clients' public policy goals. We offer strategic consulting services to corporations, public policy groups, energy companies, industry associations, universities and units of local government affected by a variety of governmental initiatives in the energy and environment arena. 

Our dedicated team of energy and environment professionals comprises a bipartisan array of executive branch and Capitol Hill veterans, well versed in high-profile legislative and regulatory initiatives. They include a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a former House leadership aide and the former staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as well as a former EPA career official. They pride themselves on evidence-driven advocacy, working vigilantly against entrenched opposition and taking an interdisciplinary approach to ensure that the client has the necessary strategies and resources to achieve success.

We have an in-depth understanding of fossil fuels, renewable resources and clean energy technologies and can help clients assess the implications of evolving federal policies on the business operation and market both domestically and internationally. Public policy originating in Washington, D.C. affects stakeholders from coast to coast since almost every company, local government or other organization faces increasingly complex environmental challenges, whether from environmental impact reviews, regulatory requirements, enforcement actions, cleanups or policies under a federal law. We can leverage our experience in making federal laws and regulations to give clients crucial insights into governmental plans to address the range of issues that affect the land, water and air. We have assisted clients in the regulatory rulemaking process, grant applications and direct advocacy for changes in regulations, permit delays and policy decisions that affect one stakeholder.

Our Washington, D.C. office has a long history of working closely with clients—either independently or within the structure of larger trade associations—to ensure their federal objectives are being heard and seriously considered. Often times, trade associations take on the key legislative objectives of their largest members, the members who pay the most dues to the association or the majority of the association's members. Sometimes a client's objective conflicts with a trade or is too low a priority of its trade association. We can help clients navigate these industry relationships to raise the profile of our client, help develop legislative or regulatory strategies with the association, emphasize policies that support the unique aspects of a client's goals, and secure priority for our client's goals so that the association is supportive (or at least neutral). In many cases, we find ourselves coordinating with the national trade association to supplement its advocacy program when and where necessary. Other times, we find ourselves with a public policy position that conflicts with that of the trade association. It really is determined on a case-by-case basis.

FaegreBD Consulting is a division of  Faegre Baker Daniels , a full-service law firm with a dedicated interdisciplinary practice team focused on the business and legal issues related to energy and environment. The law firm offers services related to litigation, transactions and regulation, including rulemaking, compliance, environmental review, due diligence, permitting, acquisitions, divestitures, SEC reporting, enforcement, Superfund, natural resource damages, chemical regulation, real estate, brownfields, project development, finance, patent and trademark protections, and green building contracting, as well as international energy and clean technology initiatives. Our practice is supported by our national, firmwide energy and natural resources industry team of more than 60 professionals.

Recent examples of our experience include:

• Developing comprehensive legislative and regulatory strategies, including meetings with members of Congress, agency officials and congressional committee staff, submission of formal correspondence, attracting third-party stakeholder support, negotiating with national trade associations and coordinating  grassroots networks
• Aiding clients by developing congressional strategies to include core messages and targets to address objections in the implementation of federal environmental regulations
• Drafting statutory language, congressional report language and congressional testimony
• Developing strategies to address objections in law and federal implementation of international treaties
• Interpreting regulations in the federal rulemaking process to assist clients in understanding the impact on their business and market
• Analyzing, drafting and submitting public comments for clients who have specific concerns with complex federal environmental regulations
• Securing a million-dollar grant for the dredging of a river on behalf of a regional development authority and assisting in the applications of multiple brownfield grants which are currently pending
• Seeking federal funding for municipal conservation projects on behalf of a client
• Assisting a rendering company with the "scoring" of its renewable fuel under the lifecycle greenhouse gas requirements for renewable fuels regulations
• Addressing cutting-edge legal and regulatory issues relating to the capture and storage of carbon dioxide being considered across the nation
• Working with the U.S. Department of Energy, including the Offices of the Secretary; Energy, Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Fossil Energy; Science; Policy and International Affairs; and Nuclear Energy 
• Working with the U.S. Department of Interior, including the Offices of the Secretary, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service. Surface Mining, and Indian Affairs 
• Working with the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor and Agriculture, including the Forest Service
• Working with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including the Offices of the Administrator, Air and Radiation, Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Solid Waste and Emergency Response, and Water
• Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Academies of Sciences, NASA and a variety of other federal agencies