California Environmental Law Specialists

WILLIAM D. BROWN, ESQ.

William D. Brown is a partner at Brown & Winters in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, specializing in environmental law.  He has been instrumental in the firm’s development of a significant environmental practice focusing on the representation of California redevelopment agencies and other public entities. 
Mr. Brown received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Southern California on scholarships from the University and the Carnation Corporation.  He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1986, where he acted as an editor of the Journal of Legislation.
In the field of environmental law, Mr. Brown has headed the team, which has provided legal and consulting services to many redevelopment agencies.   On behalf of Chula Vista, the firm instigated an innovative project which has been effective in passing on the cost of environmental remediation to polluters.  The Chula Vista Redevelopment Agency was the first agency to obtain an agreement from the State Water Resources Control Board permitting the agency to issue corrective action notices to polluters under Health & Safety Code section 33459, also known as the Polanco Act.  The project’s success in shifting the up-front cost of remediation is described in Mr. Brown’s article Innovative Chula Vista Project Saves Redevelopment Agency Environmental Costs and Passes Clean-Up Cost on the Polluter, Redevelopment Journal, April 1993, No. 145.  Polanco Act successes are further described in his article entitled The Polanco Redevelopment Act:  California’s Most Important Brownfields Statute published in CEB Real Property Law Reporter, September 2003.

Mr. Brown has drafted numerous California environmental statutes.  He has testified before the Senate and Assembly Toxics Committees.  He frequently represents public entitles in regulatory matters involving California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The firm also represents public entities in environmental coverage disputes with insurers.  The firm has successfully recovered insurance proceeds for Chula Vista, Coronado, Oceanside, Bakersfield, Chico, Modesto, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Davis, County of San Diego, City of San Diego, County of Los Angeles, and the San Diego Unified Port District.

In recent years Mr. Brown has focused on sediment remediation cases in San Diego Bay on behalf of the City of San Diego and the Port of San Diego.  An insured-based approach has been successful in addressing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) under the Clean Water Act. 

In addition to providing legal services, Mr. Brown also provides consulting services and conducts legal environmental seminars. 

 

News & Articles

Brown & Winters named first Green Law Firm... More>> Two Perspectives on Finding in Polanco Act Case Modesto v. Dow Chemical Company, et al... More>> Innovative Chula Vista Project Saves Redevelopment Agency Environmental Costs and Passes Clean-Up Costs on to the Polluter... More>> The Polanco Redevelopment Act: California's Most Important Brownfields Statute... More>>