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Amy L. Wachs

Amy L. Wachs

Of Counsel

"Amy is a brilliant attorney who is supremely technical and very smart."

Client Feedback, Chambers USA 2023

Overview

Amy focuses on providing practical advice targeted to each client’s need to integrate environmental, health and safety regulatory compliance into everyday operations, ensuring the business runs smoothly and successfully.

She uses her 25+ years of experience counseling numerous diverse companies to find solutions to complex regulatory problems. Amy has deep experience in all environmental, health and safety regulatory programs, including hazardous and solid waste management, water discharges, air emission permitting, federal and state chemical regulations, process safety management, pesticide regulation, hazardous materials transportation, and occupational safety and health requirements. She helps companies plan and implement practical measures for complying with regulations, and she actively defends clients against regulatory enforcement actions when necessary.

Amy advises developers, business owners, lenders and business investors on strategies for managing environmental matters that arise in transactional matters. Her counsel includes strategic planning, due diligence, document drafting and negotiation, development considerations and environmental liability management.

Another area of focus is environmental cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties nationwide. Amy has successfully resolved difficult cleanup issues leading to redevelopment at Superfund and other significant environmental cleanup sites, as well as at more routine dry cleaner and gas station locations. She has worked with Brownfield statutes and voluntary cleanup programs in numerous states, leading to successful property reuse. 

"Amy is a brilliant attorney who is supremely technical and very smart."

Client Feedback, Chambers USA 2023

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Environmental Law, 2021-2025
  • Chambers USA
    • Environment, 2010-2024
  • Missouri Lawyers Media, POWER List for Environmental and Energy Law, 2022 and 2023

Education

  • J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School
    • cum laude
  • B.A., Lawrence University
    • cum laude

Admissions

  • Missouri

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association, Section on Environment, Energy and Resources
  • The Missouri Bar
  • Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, Environment, Health & Safety Committee
  • Environmental Law Institute
Experience

Regulatory Compliance

  • Serve as primary environmental compliance counsel to multiple-plant, nationwide food products manufacturer. Assisted company in resolving wastewater discharge violation actions in various jurisdictions, appealed wastewater permits and responded to requests for information under risk management program in resolution of alleged serious violations of permit effluent limits in local sewer authority discharge in Colorado. Because of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) involvement, sewer authority planned to terminate discharge authorization. Resolved matter with no plant shutdown and a provision for orderly treatment plant upgrade.
  • Served as primary environmental, health and safety compliance counsel to multiple-plant, multiple-state chemical manufacturer. Responded to requests for information on release reports; advised on hazardous waste recycling; resolved notices of violation, OSHA citations and notices of probable violation for rail and truck hazardous materials transportation; interpreted requirements for risk management programs and chemical safety security; and planned for permit renewal changes.
  • Represented major Midwest airport in numerous environmental compliance and transactional matters. Extensively involved with airport in planning for and negotiating terms in new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System storm water discharge permit, which revised discharge limits for de-icing chemical discharge, resolving compliance issues associated with past discharge limits. Advised airport in defending compliance order associated with alleged discharge violations. Assisted airport in evaluating new regulations associated with storm water discharges and underground storage tank regulations for airport hydrant systems.
  • Represented property developer and resolved multiproperty construction storm water permit violation enforcement matter with EPA, state environmental agency, U.S. Department of Justice and state Office of Attorney General.

Brownfield Redevelopment

  • Advised company that redevelops environmentally contaminated property in acquiring 340,000-square-foot inactive battery manufacturing plant in New Jersey. Negotiated liability and remediation trust fund transfer agreement that involved previous owner and state. Handled all aspects of Industrial Site Recovery Act compliance.
  • Counseled manufacturing company on complex four-way negotiations regarding transfer and redevelopment of old manufacturing complex, culminating in execution of redevelopment agreement. Redevelopment of property occurred with manufacturing company's involvement limited to certain known environmental issues, with others participating in newly identified issues and asbestos.

Environmental Cleanup

  • Represented 100-year-old manufacturer in appeal of regulatory agency order for cleanup of more than 200 houses, school and park properties. Client was sole private entity named as potential responsible party. Following extensive research on historic use of area, matter was settled, with state participating in 50 percent of remediation costs of home properties and substantial participation by other public entities.
  • Served as lead environmental counsel in managing property owner response to identified plume emanating from historic manufacturing plant beneath neighboring community served by groundwater resource. Coordinated response activities with defense of homeowner litigation.

Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Headed environmental activities in acquisition of international auto parts supplier with operations in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China and Europe. Managed environmental due diligence activities, negotiated environmental aspects of transaction and advised acquiring client on environmental liability issues.
  • Handled environmental aspects in sale of Midwest chain of gas station/convenience stores, including extensive business counseling on transaction structure to minimize future liabilities and negotiation of final deal structure resulting in successful divestment of family business.
Webinar | January 29, 2020
Why Do Customers Want To Know So Much About My Product? The Changing Landscape of Chemical Regulation

Emerging Environmental Law Trends Webinar Series

Outside the Office

Amy enjoys being active outside, hiking in Colorado, biking in St. Louis and gardening in her own backyard. 

When possible, she travels with her husband and children to international destinations, including Italy, Ireland and Turkey. She recently learned to scuba dive and has dived in Belize and Australia.

Community Leadership
  • St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association Environmental Council
Government Insight

Amy’s extensive experience working at government agencies benefits the clients she counsels on environmental issues.

Early in her career, Amy worked as a law clerk for the environmental division of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. She also served as an elected supervisor in Dane County, Wisconsin, where she chaired the committee that oversaw the sheriff, jail, coroner and district attorney’s office. She also headed a hazardous waste educational program for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, teaching hazardous waste law to local governments through the University of Wisconsin extension office.

From each of these opportunities, Amy gained valuable insight into how government agencies perceive environmental legal issues. She often draws on that perspective when dealing with government agencies on behalf of clients.