Jeffrey W. Leppo
Experience
Jeff Leppo is a partner in the Environment, Land Use and Natural Resources group and
serves as Office Managing Partner for the Seattle office. His practice is focused on
environmental, wildlife and natural resources law, and related complex litigation, for
oil and gas leasing, exploration and development, commercial fisheries, pipeline
operators and energy producers, mining interests, and public ports.
Jeff frequently counsels clients through federal environmental reviews, project siting
and federal permitting processes for major facilities located throughout the West, and
often counsels industry associations, public and private companies, and developers
regarding Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
issues, particularly in regard to listing petition and critical habitat
proceedings, section 7 consultations, incidental take authorizations and conservation
planning. Jeff also has extensive litigation experience involving the National
Partner
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the full range of ESA issues, MMPA requirements and
Seattle, WA
compliance, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act permitting, Magnuson-Stevens Act
(206) 386-7641 direct
(MSA) and other federal fisheries requirements and compliance, Migratory Bird Treaty
(206) 386-7500 fax
Act (MBTA) compliance, Clean Water Act (CWA) and Clean Air Act citizen suits,
challenges to federal decisions under the Administrative Procedure Act and defense of
environmental enforcement actions.
Anchorage, AK
jeffrey.leppo@stoel.com
Jeff has served as a faculty member and speaker for numerous conferences, seminars
and webinars in Washington, Oregon, Texas, Washington, D.C. and Alaska on
Education
environmental and natural resources law. Subjects he has spoken on include NEPA,

J.D., 1980
ESA, MMPA and MBTA consultation and litigation, federal permitting, federal
environmental litigation, citizen suit litigation, defense of environmental enforcement
University of Virginia School of Law,

College of William and Mary, B.A.,
1977, Biology, with honors
actions, contaminated sites litigation, environmental issues in real estate transactions
and ethical issues in environmental law.
Admissions
Representative Work

Washington
Complex Permitting and Regulatory Advice

Oregon

Alaska

District of Columbia

U.S. District Courts for the Western
and Eastern Districts of Washington

U.S. District Court for Alaska

U.S. District Court for the District of

Oil and Gas Exploration and Development – Counsel to numerous oil and gas
companies, including ConocoPhillips, BP, Pioneer and ExxonMobil, in connection
with leasing and permitting of exploration and development activities on the
North Slope of Alaska, in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, and in Cook Inlet,
pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the National Petroleum
Reserve Production Act, NEPA, CWA §§ 404 and 402, ESA, MMPA, the Coastal Zone
Management Act, MBTA, MSA (Essential Fish Habitat) and the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act.
Columbia

U.S. District Court for Oregon

Ninth and D.C. Circuit Courts of
Appeals

U.S. Supreme Court
Jeffrey W. Leppo

Hawaii Commercial Tuna and Swordfish Fisheries – Counsel to Hawaii Longline Association regarding ESA compliance,
consultation and listing petitions; MMPA, MBTA and NEPA compliance; and compliance with U.S. law and international treaties
regarding Pacific fisheries conservation and management.

Alaska Oil and Gas Association – Counsel to the Alaska Oil and Gas Association regarding ESA listing petitions, critical habitat
designations, climate change and other regulatory issues, MMPA incidental take regulations and coastal zone management
regulatory reforms.

American Petroleum Institute – Counsel to the American Petroleum Institute regarding ESA listing petitions, critical habitat
designations, climate change and other regulatory issues.

Natural Gas Pipeline Systems – Counsel to operators of and applicants for oil and natural gas transportation systems, including
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Denali – The Alaska Gas Pipeline LLC and the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation
regarding NEPA, ESA consultation, CWA §§ 404 and 402 permitting, injection well permitting, and federal and state right -of-way
authorization.
Recent Environmental and Natural Resources Litigation Decisions

Shell Oil Company v. Greenpeace, USA - Counsel to Shell Oil Company in successful lawsuit seeking preliminary injunctive relief
enjoining environmental activists from interfering with Arctic exploration vessels and activities, and creating safety zones on
the water, below and in the air around exploration vessels and operations. See 864 F. Supp. 2d 839 (D. Alaska 2012), aff'd, 2013
WL 936586 (9th Cir. Mar. 13, 2013).

Alaska Oil and Gas Association and American Petroleum Institute v. Salazar – Counsel to Alaska Oil and Gas Association and
American Petroleum Institute in successful lawsuit challenging and vacating designation of the largest ever critical habitat
designation under the ESA for polar bears. See 2013 WL 222259 (D. Alaska Jan. 11, 2013).

Center for Biological Diversity v. Salazar – Counsel to Alaska Oil and Gas Association in successful defense of MMPA and NEPA
claims challenging MMPA incidental take regulations for effects to polar bears and Pacific walrus during routine oil and gas
operations in the Chukchi Sea. See 695 F.3d 893 (9th Cir. 2012).

Jones v. Rose - Counsel to the Port of Portland in successful defense of CWA citizen suit alleging unlawful filling of waters
adjacent to the Columbia River. See 2012 WL 5350851 (9th Cir. Oct. 12, 2012).

Native Village of Kivalina IRA Council v. EPA – Counsel for NANA Regional Corporation in successful defense of lawsuit
challenging a CWA discharge permit issued for operations of the Red Dog Mine. See 687 F.3d 1216 (9th Cir. 2012).

In re Polar Bear ESA Listing and 4(d) Rule Litigation– Counsel to the Alaska Oil and Gas Association regarding successful defense
of polar bear ESA 4(d) rule and "threatened" ESA listing instead of "endangered" listing. See 818 F. Supp. 2d 261 (D.D.C. 2011);
794 F. Supp. 2d 65 (D.D.C. 2011), aff'd, 2013 WL 765059 (D.C. Cir. Mar. 1, 2013).

Native Village of Point Hope v. Minerals Management Service – Counsel to BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. in successful defense of
NEPA and MMPA challenges to federally authorized seismic activity in the Beaufort Sea. See 564 F. Supp. 2d 1077 (D.Alaska
2008).
Jeffrey W. Leppo

Turtle Island Restoration Network v. Department of Commerce – Counsel to the Hawaii Longline Association in successful
defense of ESA, MBTA and NEPA claims challenging commercial longline fishery regulations. See 351 F. Supp. 2d 1048 (D. Haw.
2005), aff'd, 438 F.3d 937 (9th Cir. 2006).
Publications and Speaking Engagements
Recent presentations and publications include:

Presenter, "Litigating Against Government Agencies," 64th Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference, Houston, Feb. 21–22, 2013

Author, "Litigating Against Government Agencies: Case Studies in Challenges to Agency Decisions Under Federal Environmental
Statutes," was publish in the Institute for Energy Law, Feb. 2013 and Environmental Law Reporter, July 2013

Presenter, "Endangered Species Act Permitting Legal Challenges and Trends," Alaska Oil and Gas Association Educational
Seminar, Anchorage, Dec. 2012

Co-Chair and Presenter, "Alaska Permitting Strategies Update," 6th Annual Permitting Strategies in Alaska, The Seminar Group,
Anchorage, Jan. 2012

Presenter and Panelist, "Overview of the ESA," Alaska Resources Development Council Annual Conference, Nov. 2011
Professional Honors and Activities

Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers

Selected by Best Lawyers® as Litigation-Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year, Seattle, 2012

Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (currently: Environmental Law, Litigation-Environmental, Oil & Gas Law), 2009-2016

Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Environment), 2005-2016

Listed in Washington Super Lawyers® (Environmental), 2006-2016
Civic Activities
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Member, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Woodland Park Zoo, 2008-2013
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Rooting, mostly in vain, for the Seahawks and the Mariners