National law firm Nossaman LLP has hired John M. Anderson as a senior policy advisor to its Environment and Land Use Practice Group in the Washington, D.C., office.
Immediately prior to joining Nossaman, Anderson served as the senior director of permitting policy and environmental affairs for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
During his tenure, Anderson led AWEA’s efforts in the area of federal and state siting and environmental compliance policy and advocacy and guided the industry in addressing policy issues as they relate to wildlife, public and private land use, public health and safety, and more.
As reported, Anderson was responsible for leading the wind industry’s initiative to develop the Great Plains and Midwest multi-company, multi-state and multi-species regional habitat conservation plans, which have been designed to facilitate the advancement of wind energy deployment throughout the two regions and provide the plan participants with legal certainty under the Endangered Species Act, while also contributing to the conservation of the endangered species.
Anderson also helped develop the unanimous recommendations from the USFWS Wind Turbine Guidelines Federal Advisory Committee to then Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and worked with additional stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations were maintained in the final 2012 Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines.
Additionally, Anderson has experience with issues concerning the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and federal wildlife laws, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
“John’s outstanding reputation in the renewable energy and environmental arenas, the deep relationships he has forged throughout the industry, as well as with government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and his demonstrated ability to drive change at the highest levels of government will add real value for our clients,” says Paul Weiland, chair of Nossaman’s Environment and Land Use Practice Group.
Prior to his role with AWEA, Anderson served as the Eastern Regional Manager – Environmental Affairs with BP Alternative Energy, where he was responsible for the permitting and licensing of new wind and solar energy projects in the eastern half of the U.S., as well as managing post-construction environmental issues at BP Wind’s operating facilities.
Nossaman’s Environment and Land Use Practice Group offers strategic advice to clients on environmental, energy and natural resource issues before local, state and federal adjudicatory and legislative bodies.
