Steven J. Thiele
Experience
Steven Thiele is a partner of the firm practicing in the Environment, Land Use and
Natural Resources group. His practice focuses on hazardous waste, land use and
environmental issues for both public and private interests. He is also experienced in
the administrative processes of federal and state cleanup programs, including
cleanups under the Washington Department of Ecology's Puget Sound Initiative, as well
as in aquatic land leasing on state-owned bedlands and tidelands. Steve has worked on
a series of significant regulatory initiatives, including revisions to Washington's toxic
cleanup (Superfund) and shoreline development regulations.
Steve routinely counsels clients regarding the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), the
Sediment Management Standards (SMS), the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Partner
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), the Clean Water Act and the Shoreline Management Act, as well as facility
Seattle, WA
siting and permitting.
(206) 386-7530 direct
(206) 386-7500 fax
Prior to joining Stoel Rives, Steve was a senior attorney with the Washington State
Attorney General's Office Ecology Division, where he advised the Washington
steve.thiele@stoel.com
Department of Ecology on a broad range of environmental matters and represented it
in litigation before the Pollution Control Hearings Board, Shorelines Hearings Board
and state and federal courts.
Representative Work
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through cooperative agreements with multiple other responsible parties. The
Port Angeles cleanup involves cutting-edge issues associated with Ecology's newly
revised rules for sediment cleanups.
Spokane MTCA Site – Represented a major industrial client in successful
negotiations with Ecology that persuaded the agency not to name the client as a
liable party for a multimillion-dollar MTCA cleanup.

Phillips 66 RCRA Determination – Assisted Phillips 66 in negotiations with Ecology
regarding the proper designation of certain waste waters at the company's
terminals, ultimately persuading the agency to change its longtime policy and
issue new guidance excluding the waste waters from regulation under RCRA.
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Seattle University School of Law, J.D.,
1990, cum laude
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University of Oregon, B.A., 1987
Port Angeles Cleanup – Representing Georgia-Pacific in the MTCA and SMS
investigation and remediation of harbor sediments under Ecology oversight and
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Education
Port of Everett Cleanup and Redevelopment (multiple sites) - Assisting with the
investigation and remediation of historical industrial sites under Ecology
oversight and through cooperative agreements with multiple other responsible
Admissions

Washington
Steven J. Thiele
parties. The effort is structured to maximize the Port's recovery of funds from other parties, and successfully combines
remediation with infrastructure improvements and redevelopment of sites for mixed use.

Port of Anacortes Cleanup and Redevelopment (multiple sites) - Assisting with the investigation and remediation of Anacortes
waterfront facilities through a multi-faceted program of site investigation, remediation and cost recovery that maximizes the
Port's recovery of funds from other parties and successfully combines remediation with facility upgrades and infrastructure
improvements.

Port Gamble Cleanup - Negotiated unique cost-sharing arrangement between Ecology and Pope & Talbot, Inc. for MTCA interim
action to remove wood waste from Port Gamble Bay adjacent to a historic sawmill.

Port of Tacoma Cleanup – Assisting with Port with overlapping CERCLA and MTCA cleanups under joint EPA/Ecology oversight in
order to minimize impacts to Port operations and facilitate redevelopment of the affected area.

Seabeck Marina - Negotiated approvals with Ecology and Kitsap County for complete rebuild and reconfiguration of derelict and
dormant 190-boat marina.

Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve - Assisted major industrial facility in ongoing process with Department of Natural Resources
regarding future use regulations for the reserve.

Yakima Railroad Area MTCA/CERCLA Settlements - Negotiated first large multi-party MTCA cash-out consent decrees and first
MTCA settlement to utilize trust instrument.

2000 Shoreline Management Act Guidelines (modified version adopted) - Developed unique two-track regulation to address ESA
issues. Negotiated language up-front with federal services.
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Bellingham Bay Pilot - First integrated bay-wide habitat enhancement project and MTCA sediments cleanup.
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Kaiser Mead MTCA/CERCLA Consent Decree - First MTCA settlement to utilize insurance instrument and proprietary trust.
Settlement approved through bankruptcy court.

Pakootas v. Teck Cominco (active case) - First citizen suit by State to enforce CERCLA. First instance of CERCLA enforcement
against release originating in foreign country.
Professional Honors and Activities
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Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (currently: Environmental Law), 2011-2016
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Listed in Washington Super Lawyers® (Environmental), 2006-2009, 2011-2016
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Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Environment), 2007-2016
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Selected for inclusion in Washington Super Lawyers®, 2007-2009, 2011-2014
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Member, Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Washington State Bar Association
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Member, Section of Environment, Energy & Resources, American Bar Association
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Member, National Association of Attorneys General Superfund Working Group, 2000-2005
Steven J. Thiele
Presentations
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"Legal Update: Timely CERCLA, MTCA, SMS & NRD Issues," 2014 Environmental Cleanup Conference, June 2014

"The Changing Face of MTCA," Washington Public Ports Association - Environmental Seminar, Sept. 2013
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"Laws and Regulations and Compliance Strategies: Legal Overview and Practical Advice," Stormwater and Contaminated
Sediment Conference, Seattle, Nov. 2011

"Legal and Practical Issues for Sediment Cleanup Projects: Dispatches from the Front," 2009 CERCLA & MTCA Advanced Sediment
Conference, May 2009
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"Latest Legal Developments Affecting Sediment Cleanups," Sixth Annual Advanced Sediment Conference, June 2008

"MTCA Legislative Updates," Model Toxics Control Act: New Developments in Implementation, Litigation and Legislation, Law
Seminars International, May 2008, June 2007

"Dealing with the Regulators," "Cost Recovery Actions" and "Conducting the Cleanup and Closing the Regulatory File,"
Environmental and Insurance Issues Affecting Real Estate, WSBA CLE, Nov. 2006

"Canada/US Transboundary Water Issues: Cooperation Versus Confrontation," Environmental Issues Affecting Water Resources in
British Columbia, Lorman Education Services, Sept. 2006
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Land Use & Environmental Due Diligence & Compliance Seminar, The Seminar Group, June 2006
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Panel member, "Five-Year Retrospective on the 2001 MTCA Rules: Successful Implementations, Struggles, Things That Never
Happened, Differences Between Experiences and Intensions Five Years Ago, and Why," Model Toxics Control Act: New
Developments in Implementation, Litigation and Legislation, Law Seminars International, May 2006
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Conference cochair and panelist, Permitting Strategies, The Seminar Group, May 2006
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"Area-Wide Soil Contamination," Planning Association of Washington Annual Meeting, May 2004
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"Innovative Liability Tools: Removing Barriers to Redevelopment," EPA's Brownfields 2003, Oct. 2003
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"Cleanup of Contaminated Sites: Regional Efforts," WSBA ELUL Mid-Year Meeting, June 2003
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"Contaminated Property Transactions after the 2002 Superfund Amendments: Perspective from the States," American Bar
Association, Section of Environment, Energy & Resources, 10th Section Fall Meeting, Oct. 2002

"Update on the New Model Toxics Control Act Rule," Current Developments in Local Government & Municipal Law, June 2002

"Trickle Down to the States," Brownfields & Superfund Reform, June 2002
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Conference cochair and panelist, The Model Toxics Control Act, Sept. 2001
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"The New Model Toxic Control Act Rule," WSBA ELUL Mid-Year Meeting, June 2001

"Update on New Regulations Affecting Brownfields, conference cochair, Brownfields Redevelopment, Oct. 2000

"Shoreline Permits & New Shoreline Guidelines," A New Paradigm for Permit Review: Development in the Age of Salmon, Oct.
1999
Steven J. Thiele
Publications
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Member, editorial board, Washington Real Property Desk Book, 2002 supplement