Eric is a leading energy and natural resources attorney in the Pacific Northwest.
He assists renewable and traditional energy companies, as well as major energy consumers, to navigate the complex legal and regulatory systems governing the nation’s energy industry. With more than 30 years of experience, Eric has successfully represented clients in litigation and regulatory matters, ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to proceedings before federal and state agencies. Before entering private practice, Eric served as Assistant General Counsel at Snohomish County (WA) Public Utility District, one of the largest publicly-owned utilities in the U.S., and as a trial attorney at the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Eric’s litigation experience includes successfully representing Snohomish County Public Utility District in a series of lawsuits arising from the Enron crisis involving action at every level of the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as administrative litigation resulting in an order requiring Enron to disgorge more than $1 billion. He has also litigated dozens of matters in the federal and state courts. These include federal court challenges to the landmark federal orders restructuring regulation of the electricity, natural gas, and oil pipeline industries in the U.S. and critical regulatory and Constitutional issues in the Washington courts, including several matters before the Washington Supreme Court.
Eric guides clients through transactions involving renewable and traditional energy facilities, energy and derivatives trades, environmental concerns, engineering and construction services, early-stage and traditional financing, risk management, and government grants and tax incentives. He assists clients with energy and infrastructure transactions throughout Washington, including wind generation, hydroelectric, and renewable energy projects as well as the contracts governing sales of power and transmission from the Northwest’s huge federal hydroelectric and transmission systems. He has put together transactions involving financing, engineering services, construction of buildings and similar facilities, and energy and commodity trades.
Eric also assisted with landmark litigation in both the state and federal courts as well as successfully litigated claims involving liability for hazardous waste contamination and assisted developers to reclaim and redevelop brownfields sites.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Eric L. Christensen
- D.C. Circuit Rejects FERC’s Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Justice Issues for Texas LNG Facilities - (Posted On Friday, August 20, 2021)
- FERC Launches Major Initiative to Reform Transmission Policy - (Posted On Wednesday, July 21, 2021)
- New Interpretation of Shot Clock Rules? Fourth Circuit Weighs In On Clean Water Act’s One Year Deadline for State Water Quality Certifications Under Section 401 - (Posted On Monday, July 12, 2021)
- Oregon Sees Washington’s 2045 Target for Grid Decarbonization, Lowers by 5 - (Posted On Tuesday, July 06, 2021)
- Oregon Increases Access to Historical Insurance Assets for Cleanup Liabilities - (Posted On Thursday, June 17, 2021)
- The Clock is Ticking for Water Users in the Nooksack Basin to Settle their Disputes - (Posted On Monday, May 24, 2021)
- Washington Adopts Economy-Wide Climate Legislation: “Cap-and-Invest” Approach Sets a Price For Carbon Emissions And Allows Washington To Join Existing Emissions Credit Markets - (Posted On Wednesday, May 19, 2021)
- Fourth Time's The Charm: Washington Enacts Clean Fuels Program, Creating West Coast Market For Low-Carbon Transportation Fuels - (Posted On Tuesday, May 18, 2021)
- Gov. Inslee Partially Vetoes Legislation Setting 2030 Goal For All Sales Of Vehicles To Be Electric, But Adopts Provisions Laying The Groundwork For Broad Electric Vehicle Adoption - (Posted On Monday, May 17, 2021)
- Washington Adopts Legislation Setting 2030 Goal For All Sales Of Vehicles To Be Electric - (Posted On Monday, May 10, 2021)
The National Law Review names Beveridge & Diamond a Go-To Thought Leader in the field of environmental law for the year 2022. Authors Eric L. Christensen, Brook J. Detterman, David M. Friedland, Jennifer J. Leech, and Zachary B. Pilchen authored the article "Key Takeaways from U.S. Supreme Court Decision in West Virginia v. EPA," detailing the considerable importance of this landmark SCOTUS ruling for environmental and administrative law. Their thought leadership saw significant readership throughout the year, demonstrating the high quality and timeliness of their work.