Eric Waeckerlin

Eric Waeckerlin is a trusted advisor to leading energy, oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and industrial companies on their most complex and consequential environmental and natural resources matters. He counsels clients through high-stakes regulatory, permitting, enforcement, and policy challenges at the intersection of major project development, air quality, and climate strategy, with a practice designed to support executive decision-making and enterprise-level risk management.

Eric is nationally recognized for his deep skills navigating the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and its state analogues, and he routinely advises on permitting, compliance, and enforcement matters affecting large-scale conventional and low-carbon energy projects. His experience spans the full lifecycle of major projects-from early siting and permitting strategy through construction, operation, and defense of agency actions-allowing clients to move critical projects forward while managing regulatory, reputational, and financial risk. In addition to the CAA, Eric has substantial experience under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

As energy markets evolve, Eric has been at the forefront of advising clients on climate and decarbonization strategies. He counsels companies on domestic and international climate and methane policy, including carbon capture and other COA management regimes, emissions reduction and offset strategies, and participation in carbon and greenhouse gas markets. His work helps clients integrate highly complex regulatory compliance with broader sustainability, investment, and corporate strategy objectives.

In high-stakes litigation and regulatory challenges, Eric has served as lead counsel for national oil and gas trade associations in challenges to federal regulations and has successfully defended oil and natural gas companies in numerous multimillion-dollar air quality enforcement actions brought by the EPA and state agencies. Clients value his ability to combine technical regulatory knowledge with strategic judgment, making him a go-to counselor for executives and management teams navigating the legal risks shaping the future of energy.

Concentrations

•Air Quality
•Climate change regulation and policy
•Carbon management
•Conventional and clean energy project development
•Emerging carbon markets
•Environmental compliance
•Enforcement defense
•Environmental self-audit and disclosure
•Federal and state administrative rulemaking
•Midstream petroleum and natural gas
•Project permitting and permit compliance
•Solid and hazardous waste regulation
•Transactional due diligence
•Upstream petroleum and natural gas

Judicial Clerkships

•Hon. Sam E. Haddon, U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, 2005-2006

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2018-2026
•Environmental Law, 2018-2026
•Litigation-Environmental, 2021-2026
•Natural Resources Law, 2021-2026
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Environmental Law, 2020-2025
•Listed, 5280, “Top Lawyers,” Environmental, 2021-2026
•Listed, Denver Business Journal, “Who’s Who in Energy,” 2017