Joan P. Snyder
Experience
In its 2014 annual survey of America’s best attorneys for business, Chambers and
Partners quoted sources as reporting that Joan Snyder is “the most scientifically
astute lawyer that I know in Portland,” adding that “she is well respected and
regarded, and when she has an opinion on something, people listen.”
Joan concentrates her practice in the areas of environmental law, natural resources
law, environmental and natural resources insurance coverage, and health and safety
law. She regularly advises clients on all aspects of state and federal cleanups,
including the defense of natural resource damages claims. She has successfully
litigated environmental and insurance claims to favorable resolution in state and
federal courts, before state and federal administrative law judges, and in arbitration
Partner
and mediation. A former industrial chemist, Joan also provides clients with practical,
cost-effective compliance counseling, including site investigation, remediation and
Portland, OR
health and safety compliance.
(503) 294-9657 direct
(503) 220-2480 fax
Joan also has extensive experience in the environmental aspects of real estate and
business transactions, including negotiating protective contractual terms, obtaining
joan.snyder@stoel.com
prospective purchaser agreements that limit liability and advising clients on disclosure
obligations. She approaches each project by focusing on her client's goals and relying
on her experience and creativity to achieve those goals in the most cost-effective
Education

J.D., 1984, cum laude
way.
Joan worked as an industrial chemist at Betz Laboratories, Inc. in Trevose,
Pennsylvania (1978-1981).

University of Delaware, B.S.,
Chemistry, 1978, with high honors

Drexel University, Graduate study in
Environmental Engineering, 1979-80
Representative Work
Environmental Cleanup

Represents a manufacturer with respect to remedial investigation of solvent and
petroleum contamination in site soils.

Has represented numerous property owners performing remedial investigations,
risk assessments and remedial actions at contaminated properties.

Represents a client that is, with others, performing the remedial investigation
and feasibility study for the Portland Harbor sediment Superfund Site.
University of Michigan Law School,
Admissions

Oregon

Michigan (currently inactive)

U.S. District Court for the District of
Oregon

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit
Joan P. Snyder
Natural Resource Damage Claims

Represents a client with respect to the natural resource damages assessment for the Portland Harbor Superfund site, which is
proceeding under a novel phased cooperative agreement with natural resource trustees.
Environmental and OSHA Compliance

Has counseled numerous clients on storm water compliance issues, both under NPDES discharge permits and as part of the
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Portland Harbor storm water screening evaluation protocols.

Has counseled clients on preparation of Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plans, compliance with Toxic Release
Inventory reporting, and state Community-Right-to-Know reporting.

Has counseled numerous clients on compliance with Occupational Safety & Health Rules.
Environmental and OSHA Enforcement

Oregon OSHA enforcement action: Defended $1.4 million "willful" and "egregious" citation, obtained dismissal of $1 million of
claims and favorably settled remainder.

Conducted an internal investigation for a manufacturing company to address potential Clean Water Act violations, succeeding in
convincing the U.S. Attorney's Office that there was no basis for criminal action.

Has represented clients in resolution of numerous DEQ citations and OSHA citations, including in instances of fatalities and other
serious injuries.
Rulemaking and Legislative

Assisted a trade group in opposing a proposed Oregon OSHA rule change, succeeding in convincing Or-OSHA that the change
would negatively impact Oregon employers and was not supported by the science. The rule revisions subsequently adopted were
consistent with the client's comments.

Drafted much of the 2003 and 2013 amendments to the Oregon Environmental Cleanup Assistance Act, ORS 465.475, et seq.,
clarifying procedures for obtaining insurance coverage of environmental claims in Oregon.
Environmental Litigation and Environmental Insurance Litigation

Represented a property owner in litigation against former operators to recover the cost of complying with environmental
investigation demands by ODEQ, obtaining "no further action" letter from ODEQ. Obtained a favorable settlement with former
owners, operators and their insurers.

Represented industrial client in responding to 60-day notice-of-intent-to-sue letter from environmental organization alleging
violations of storm water permit. Achieved resolution of matter before suit was filed.

Obtained favorable ruling from Oregon Court of Appeals holding that insurer had an obligation to defend client in response to a
request by ODEQ to investigate contamination on the client's property. Schnitzer Investment Corp. v. Certain Underwriters at
Lloyd's of London, (Or. Ct. App. Jan. 26, 2005).
Joan P. Snyder
Professional Honors and Activities

Selected by Best Lawyers® as Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year, Portland, 2010

Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, (currently: Environmental Law), 2006-2016

Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Oregon) by Chambers USA (currently: Environment), 2006-2016

Selected by Lawyers Monthly for global 2014 Women in Law Awards

Listed in Oregon Super Lawyers® (Environmental, Insurance Coverage, Environmental Litigation), 2008-2015

Listed in The International Who's Who of Environment Lawyers

Chair, Oregon Business Association Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Northwest Environmental Business Council Cascade Chapter sub-committee

Member, Natural Resources, and Energy and Environmental Law Section, American Bar Association

Past Chair, Environmental & Natural Resources Section, Oregon State Bar
Presentations

Panelist, "Early NRD Settlements: Resolving NRD Cases Before Remedy Selection," Fifth Annual Advanced Conference on Natural
Resource Damages, Washington, D.C., Mar. 10, 2016

"From the Perspective of the Regulated Community: How Well Do DEQ NPDES Permitting, City Permitting and Source Control
Work Together? And How Should They?" NEBC Managing Stormwater in Oregon Conference, May 21, 2015

"The Latest on Getting Insurance Coverage for Environmental Claims in Oregon and Washington," Stoel Rives Seminar, Portland,
Oregon, Mar. 18, 2015

""Pre-ROD Cooperative NRD Assessment and Restoration: Update from Portland Harbor," Fourth Annual Advanced Conference on
Natural Resource Damages, Washington D.C., Mar. 13, 2015

"Focusing the Right Regulatory Approaches on Surface Water Source Control at Sediment Sites -- Using Portland Harbor as Case
Study," Eighth International Conference on Remediation and Management of Contaminated Sediments, New Orleans, Louisana,
Jan. 14, 2015

"Insurance Coverage for Environmental Contamination," 2014 Environmental Insurance Conference, Portland, Oregon, Mar 10,
2014

"Source Control: Navigating the complexities of Overlapping Authorities: Portland Harbor Case Study Stormwater Source Control
at a Superfund Site," Portland, Oregon, Sept. 20, 2013

"CERCLA, CWA and State Law: Complexities With Overlapping Authorities," Strafford Webinar, Aug. 8, 2013

"Source Control: Legal Authority and Policy Goals," Stormwater & Contaminated Sediment Conference, Portland, Oregon, Jan.
30, 2012

"Source Control: Legal Authority and Policy Goals," Business & The Environment, Portland, Oregon, Nov. 8, 2011

"Redeveloping Brownfields in the Shadow of Superfund," Stoel Rives LLP, Portland, Oregon, Apr. 7, 2010
Joan P. Snyder

"CERCLA & Clean Water Act – Overlapping Authorities & Cross-Program Implementation; Thinking Outside the Box,"
Environmental Law Education Center Environmental Cleanup Seminar, Portland, Oregon, Mar. 19, 2007

"Managing to Make Source Control Happen at Contaminated Sediment Sites," Battelle Fourth International Conference on
Remediation of Contaminated Sediments, Savannah, Georgia, Jan. 24, 2007

"Allocation of Liability at a Sediment Cleanup Site," Stoel Rives LLP seminar, Portland, Oregon, May 5, 2005

"Eco-risk, Focused on Sediments: Status in Oregon," Stoel Rives LLP seminar, Portland, Oregon, Mar. 31, 2005

"The Legal Implications of Safety and Health," Oregon Governor's Occupational Safety & Health Conference, 2005 Safety &
Health Expedition, Portland, Oregon, Mar. 1, 2005

"Natural Resource Damages Fundamentals," Oregon Association of Environmental Professionals Monthly Forum, Portland, Oregon,
Oct. 9, 2003

"Who Will Pay for The Portland Harbor Cleanup?," Environmental Law Education Center Advanced Conference on Sediments,
Portland, Oregon, Sep. 6, 2002
Publications

"Beyond the Headlines: Best Practices to Restore Natural Resources Injured by Long-Term Hazardous Waste Releases, Oil Spills
and Transport and Other Accidents" (contributor), Daily Environment Report, Aug. 2014

"Habitat and Resource Equivalency Analyses in Resource Compensation and Restoration Decision Making" (coauthor), Natural
Resources & Environment Volume 28, Number 1, Summer 2013

"Businesses Near Superfund Site Should Re-Read Old Policies" (coauthor), Portland Business Journal, Sept. 4, 2009

"Insurance Funding for Environmental Cleanups" (coauthor), Oregon State Bar Outlook, 2004

"The Unanswered Question of Environmental Insurance Allocation in Oregon Law" (coauthor), Willamette Law Review, 2003

Environmental Natural Resources Law, Oregon State Bar (co-editor), 2002

"Natural Resource Damage," Environmental Natural Resources Law, Oregon State Bar, 2002

"The State/Federal Tug-of-War in Environmental Regulation and Enforcement," Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute, 2000
Civic Activities

Classroom Law Project Board