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Craig joined Andrews Kurth LLP after graduating from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2004. Craig’s practice encompasses environmental, health and safety compliance and defense counseling under all media, assistance in real estate and secured transactions, environmental due diligence, and civil and administrative defense of environmental enforcement actions undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and local municipalities.
Prior to starting his legal career, Craig worked for approximately five years with the predecessor agency to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Wastewater Permits Section, the City of Austin’s Stormwater and Spill Response Team, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
In 1998, Craig was honored as the "1998 TNRCC Employee of the Year."
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Assists with conducting and overseeing many environmental due diligence projects in various industries and involving such business transactions as acquisitions, mergers, purchase and sale of assets, initial and secondary public offerings, and real estate purchases. Manages due diligence to identify potential environmental liabilities and advises on various means to allocate and transfer such liabilities in the transactional setting. Advises public companies on environmental disclosure requirements and crafted environmental disclosure for numerous periodic filings and security offerings.
Assisted in representation of Jacuzzi Brands, Inc., Zurn Industries, Inc., Zurn Pex, Inc. and Shelby Properties, Inc. in General Cable Industries, Inc. v. Jacuzzi Brands, Inc. et al, 4:05-cv-00428, U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern District of Texas. On September 28, 2006, U.S. District Judge Schell granted a motion to dismiss filed on behalf of our clients. The plaintiff alleged that its property was contaminated by the release of chemicals on adjacent property once owned by Zurn Pex (f/k/a U.S. Brass). The court held that plaintiff failed to plead that it incurred and response costs - a necessary element in its CERCLA claims - to contain the release of chemicals.
Assisting in representation of Maxus Energy Corporation and Tierra Solutions, Inc., in connection with defense of a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey department of Environmental Protection ("NJDEP") in December 2005, which seeks a wide array of monetary and injunctive relief for alleged environmental and economic damages purportedly caused by discharges of dioxin to the Passaic River and Newark Bay from a former Diamond Shamrock plant in Newark, New Jersey. The State is believed to be seeking damages and penalties in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Assisting in representation of Maxus Energy Corporation and Tierra Solutions, Inc., in connection with administrative challenges to natural resource damage settlements entered in the State of New Jersey in connection with the Passaic River and Newark Bay.
Assisted with resolving an Environmental Protection Agency enforcement action pending against an organic nursery in Garland, Texas for alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fugicide and Rodenticide Act. The negotiated settlement included a 50 percent reduction in EPA's proposed penalty.
Assisted with drafting a comprehensive Community Involvement Plan for a company that plans to remediate several thousand acres of industrial property in Nevada and redevelop the land for commercial and residential uses.
Negotiated a reduction in proposed penalty for a metal fabrication and instrument panel manufacturer in Houston, Texas in a USEPA enforcement action brought under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act and the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act. The negotiated settlement included a substantial reduction in the proposed penalty and a significant amendment of the USEPA's original complaint.
Assisted with resolution of a City of Dallas enforcement action pending against Yonack Iron & Metal Co. for alleged violations of the Municipal Storm Water Code. The negotiated settlement included a 70 percent reduction in the city's proposed penalty abd deferred adjudication.
Frequently advise firm clients on a variety of environmental, health and safety regulatory matters, and recently assisted Alloy Polymers Texas LP in transfer of environmental and related permits, authorizations, registrations and licenses in connection with its purchase of a plasticizer facility in East Texas.
ARTICLES / PUBLICATIONS
"The Tragedy of Another Minute: IWBC Minute 308's Failure to Mend the Rio Grande River," 9 Law and Business Review of the Americas 617 (2003)
BRIEFINGS, SEMINARS & SPEECHES
"Enforcement and Compliance Issues in Construction Storm Water Programs in Texas," Lorman Education Services Conference on "Current Issues in Storm Water Regulation," Dallas, TX (February 15, 2007)
"2004 Texas Environmental Case Law Update," presented to Dallas Bar Association Environmental Law Section (Dec. 2004)
PROFESSIONAL / CIVIC AFFILIATIONS
Member
State Bar of Texas Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section
Executive Committee Member, Dallas Bar Association Environmental Law Section
Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers
Dallas Area Texas A&M Club
Member, City of Coppell, Parks and Recreation Board (2006-2008) | 