Stephen Stephen W. Wiegand Hancock Whitney Center701 Poydras Street Suite 5000 New Orleans, Louisiana 70139 OverviewSteve Wiegand focuses on environmental compliance issues arising under state and federal law, as well as environmental transactions and litigation involving land contamination and nuisance claims. In addition, clients from throughout the U.S. seek Steve's advice on complex regulatory issues impacting onshore and offshore oil and gas operations. These issues include compliance with operational and safety requirements and the applicability of environmental statutes, including the:
He has handled numerous administrative appeals before the Department of Interior Board of Land Appeals and has represented clients in administrative matters before the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and other administrative agencies.
Prior to joining Liskow & Lewis, Steve served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Steve currently serves on the firm’s Board of Directors.
ExperienceSteve's notable cases include:
Favorable administrative appeal of Incidents of Noncompliance issued by BSEE resulting in INCs being set aside, 2015. Oceana v. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 F. Supp. 3d 147 (D.D.C. 2014). rejected a challenge to environmental reviews conducted in conjunction with Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales 218 and 216/222 and held that such reviews complied with the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Administrative Procedure Act. Jefferson Block 24 Oil & Gas v. Aspen Insurance UK Limited, et al, 652 F.3d 584 (5th Cir. 2011). Finding for insured in OPA insurance case, pipeline was a “covered offshore facility” within the scope of coverage afforded by OPA Policy.
InvolvementProfessional
Liskow & Lewis Board of Directors - Member Judicial clerk to the Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, August 2007–2008 Thomas More Inn of Court - Member Louisiana State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section – Member, 2009 New Orleans Bar Association – Member, 2009 American Bar Association – Member, 2009 Air & Waste Management Association, Louisiana Section – Member, 2009 Federal Bar Association – Member, 2009
Recognition
Louisiana Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2016-2021 New Orleans Magazine’s List of “Top Lawyers,” 2015-2016, 2018-2019
Presentations
“2021 Federal Offshore Update,” Liskow & Lewis Webinar, February 10, 2021 "Federal Offshore Update," Dallas Bar Energy Section - Review of Oil and Gas Conference, Dallas, TX, August 8, 2019 "Litigation/BSEE Updates," Liskow & Lewis' Federal Offshore CLE Update, Houston, TX, January 17, 2019 Current Issues in Offshore Enforcement: INCs, Civil Penalties, Criminal Investigations and BSEE’s Latest Reorganization, Liskow & Lewis Breakfast Forum, with Dee Taylor, Houston, TX, March 29, 2016 INCs, Civil Penalties and the Appeal Process, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute on Federal Offshore Regulatory Enforcement, January 20-21, 2016 Legal Issues Concerning Odors From Industrial Facilities, AFPM Environmental Conference, October 18-20, 2015 Acting on Uncertainty: Protected Species Consultation in the Wake of the Deepwater Horizon Incident, EUCI Conference: Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing, Regulation and Enforcement, September 3, 2014 Update on Offshore Regulatory Issues, Liskow & Lewis Oil and Gas Seminar, with Jonathan Hunter, Houston, TX, October 23, 2013 “Environmental Newsreel Presentation on Current Developments,” Liskow & Lewis 2009 Environmental Law Seminar, Houston, TX, May 7, 2009
Publications
- "Federal Agency Recommends Updated Regulations for Pipeline Monitoring, Decommissioning, and Abandonment," Liskow & Lewis' The Energy Law Blog, April 21, 2021
- "Uncertainty About Migratory Bird Treaty Act “Takes”: The Biden Administration Delays the Effective Date of the Final Regulations Governing Take of Migratory Birds," Liskow & Lewis' The Energy Law Blog, February 24, 2020
- "Floating Foundations: The Future of Offshore Wind," Liskow & Lewis' The Energy Law Blog, October 27, 2020
- "Department of Interior Proposes New Financial Assurance and Decommissioning Regulations," Liskow & Lewis' The Energy Law Blog, October 15, 2020
- "Alaska District Court Vacates Trump Executive Order On Offshore Leasing," Liskow & Lewis' The Energy Law Blog, April 2, 2019
- INCs, Civil Penalties and the Appeal Process, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute on Federal Offshore Regulatory Enforcement, January 20-21, 2016
- Legal Issues Concerning Odors From Industrial Facilities, AFPM Environmental Conference, October 18-20, 2015
- Environmental Law Recent Developments - Amendments from 2014 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, Louisiana Bar Journal Vol. 62, No. 2, August/September 2014
- Environmental Law Recent Developments - Settlement Reached with EPA on Clean Air Act Violations, Louisiana Bar Journal Vol. 60, No. 5, February/March 2013
- Environmental Law Recent Developments – 5th Circuit Finds Standing to Bring Greenhouse Gas Damage Claims, Louisiana Bar Journal, Vol. 57, No. 5, February/March 2010
- Environmental Law Recent Developments - Recent Developments, Environmental Appeals Board Decision and Aftermath May Affect Air Permitting in Louisiana, Louisiana Bar Journal, Vol. 56, No. 5, February/March 2009
- Comment, Flooding Dante's Inferno: Long-term Protection in the Superfund Cleanup Process, 52 Loy. L. Rev. 1295 (2006)
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