Karen Hanson’s practice focuses on the Clean Water Act and state programs for regulating and permitting water discharges and water supply/use, and on environmental, health, and safety audit review and implementation.
She has extensive experience assisting industrial and municipal clients in preparing strategies for and pursuing water permits for ongoing operations, expansions and new operations, including permit challenges. Karen also represents clients that must defend CWA and state water law enforcement actions, including claims pursued by governmental as well as third party entities. She recently led a multi-year, complex negotiation of a consent decree for the San Antonio Water System, which was targeted for sewer overflow reductions under EPA's national "wet weather" enforcement initiative. Karen advises clients on business strategies related to increasing water scarcity and counsels clients on emerging trends in water quality programs, including initiatives such as watershed-based permitting, TMDLs, trading and allocation, and land-based impacts on coastal and ocean resources. She also has extensive experience assisting clients with conducting compliance audits and managing related disclosures, and with developing and implementing management systems for environmental compliance.
Karen also has extensive experience assisting multinational companies manage their global EHS issue portfolios. She helps clients strategically plan and manage both comprehensive and targeted EHS compliance audits, and related federal and state disclosure and corrective action strategies. Karen also has helped companies develop and implement management systems for environmental compliance, sometimes in the context of resolving a major enforcement action. Karen also teams with white collar lawyers to conduct internal investigations and assist in defending civil and criminal investigations.
In addition to serving as a frequent speaker, writer, and planner for a variety of environmental law and policy programs, Karen has served in elected and appointed roles on numerous state bar and American Bar Association committees and task forces. Karen served on the firm's Management Committee and as the inaugural Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and she Co-Chairs the Water Law Practice.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Karen M. Hansen
- EPA Issues Final Rulemaking on Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans - (Posted On Friday, March 29, 2024)
- EPA Issues Aggressive Interpretation of Maui Supreme Court Decision in Latest Draft Guidance - (Posted On Tuesday, December 05, 2023)
- Supreme Court Narrows CWA Jurisdiction Over Waters of the U.S. - (Posted On Wednesday, October 18, 2023)
- New Enforcement of PFAS Requirements in CWA NPDES Industrial Permit - (Posted On Saturday, May 06, 2023)
- TCEQ Announces New Public Involvement Plan - (Posted On Thursday, October 20, 2022)
- EPA Letter of Concern Cements Use of Title VI/Environmental Justice as Permit Challenge Tool - (Posted On Thursday, October 20, 2022)
- EPA Increases Scrutiny of Self-Reporting Through the eDisclosure System - (Posted On Thursday, July 07, 2022)
- EPA Seeks to Expand Clean Water Act Spill Response Planning to Hazardous Substances - (Posted On Tuesday, April 26, 2022)
- EPA’s Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Challenged in the Ninth Circuit —Plastics a Key Issue - (Posted On Thursday, July 22, 2021)
- Top Ten Tips for Seeking Enforcement Discretion and Preserving a Weather Disaster Force Majeure Affirmative Defense before the TCEQ - (Posted On Tuesday, March 02, 2021)