John J. Lormon

Mr. Lormon specializes in environmental, climate change, sustainability, and ecosystems law. He has experience working with local and state government and regulatory agencies on environmental permitting, entitlement and compliance matters. Mr. Lormon has handled project development, permitting, compliance, and enforcement issues.
Mr. Lormon has managed numerous Clean Air Act cases involving stationary and mobile sources. He has special expertise in air emission impacts to local communities. He has worked on carbon emission, diesel and soot projects in large projects in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbor. He is experienced in health risk assessment matters on a local and a community wide scale involving vapor intrusion and pesticide/herbicide applications. His expertise encompasses water delivery, water treatment, desalination, and purification as well as wastewater and reuse matters.

Mr. Lormon has been active in politics and bond initiatives. He was team leader for Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich’s (now DLA Piper Rudnick) environmental practice group for eight years before joining Procopio. He was appointed by the Governor to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region 9 (1992 to 1996), and to the State Coastal Conservancy Board (1997 to 2004).


Representative Matters

• Clean Air Act – Permitting, enforcement and citizen suit work with manufacturing, food processing, bulk loading, fumigation and other businesses and groups. Appearances before the South Coast AQMD, San Diego APCD, State ARB and U.S. EPA. Clean Air Act PM-10, ozone, hazardous pollutant and other permitting and compliance matters.
   
• Water Resources – Permitting and consulting for desalination projects in U.S. and Mexico; Water purification and delivery in California and Mexico.
   
• Energy – Cogeneration project entitlement and purchase and sale; Geothermal incident investigation and contract work; oil company (FERC) rate of return and sale of excess electrical power; Gas turbine power plant purchase and sale, operational and compliance work.
   
• Indoor Air Pollution – Negotiation of lease and purchase and sale agreements regarding liability and responsibility for mold and other indoor air pollution.
   
• Climate Sustainability and Climate Change – Advise on California and Federal climate case law and legislation.
   
• Comprehensive Environmental Responsibility Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA/Superfund) and Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) – Representation including Superfund litigation, removal actions, cost recovery and contribution actions, Brownfield projects, RCRA injunctive actions, and facility permitting.
   
• Clean Water Act and the California Water Code - Sections 401 Certifications, 402 NPDES and Section 404 – Dredge and Fill of waters in the U.S., including wetlands and vernal pools, and state waste discharge requirements including those subject to the National and California Toxic Rules permits. Lead counsel to the University of California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in obtaining NPDES permit and an exception to the California Ocean Plan prohibition on discharges to ASBSs. Compliance orders, cleanup and abatement orders, administrative, citizen suits, and civil and criminal enforcement matters. Industrial, wastewater, construction, and municipal permitting, compliance, and enforcement.
   
• Contaminated Properties – Underground storage tanks, oil and pipeline operations, landfill and burn dump sites, asbestos and PCB problems, lead negotiator and project strategist in placing contaminated property back into productive use under various federal and state Brownfield redevelopment agency and Polanco Act initiatives. Experienced in structuring deals to shield clients from environmental and natural resource exposures and to maximize property reuse.
   
• Purchase and Sale Transactions – Legal counsel and sales agent for large parcel sale, coordinated all contact with prospective purchasers including developers, Native American tribes and environmental groups.

Mr. Lormon received his undergraduate and law degree from Boston College and is licensed to practice in California, Alaska and Massachusetts. In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, he was selected for inclusion in the Southern California Super Lawyers® - San Diego lists in the Environmental category. Mr. Lormon is recognized as an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell.

Currently Mr. Lormon is a member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Blue Ribbon Committee tasked to advise the Met on water supply, transfers, reliability, sustainability, environmental stewardship, energy, and climate issues for the next 50 years of the district’s operation. He is part of the Directors Cabinet for Scripps Institution of Oceanography and co-chair of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Climate Task Force. Mr. Lormon belongs to the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Energy and Water Committee and was appointed by the Mayor to the City of San Diego Solid Waste Hearing Panel. He is also a member of the Section on Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER) for the American Bar Association and Vice Chair of Membership for the Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Ecosystems Committee. Mr. Lormon is a former member of the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) Independent Hearing Panel for the City of San Diego.

In joint sponsorship with the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department, and the San Diego Unified Port District, Mr. Lormon organizes the Environmental Breakfast Club as a firm event for distinguished speakers from state and federal regulatory agencies to discuss important environmental issues with a cross section of the community. Additionally, Mr. Lormon coordinates the Climate Club, which provides an opportunity for a cross-section of community leaders to discuss climate change issues at dinner events held in private homes.

Recent Articles/Publications
“The New EPA Administration Moves toward National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting System,” April 2009
“Climate Change - Recent Climate Litigation,” California Environmental Law Treatise, Chapter 85:04, Matthew Bender, LexisNexis, March 2009
“Climate Change: Treaties, Legislation, Due Diligence and Litigation Update,” Appendix 1A-A to Chapter 1A – Climate Change and Global Warming, Treatise on Environmental Law, Professor Grad of Columbia Law School, LexisNexis, September 2008
“Climate Change: The Early Days,” Selecting the Right Real Estate Law Firm, California Real Estate Journal, September 29, 2008
“Global Impact: Anticipating California’s global warming legislation,” SmartBusiness San Diego, August 2008
“Going Green? How the legal community helps the environment,” San Diego Lawyer, July/August 2008
“Climate change regulations affect business owners,” Carlsbad Business Journal, July 2008
"Go Green: Reaping the benefits of green workplace practices," Interviewed by Leslie Stevens-Huffman, SmartBusiness San Diego, June 2008
"Storm Warning: Requirement for stormwater permits may affect all businesses," Interviewed by Leslie Stevens-Huffman, SmartBusiness San Diego, April 2007
"California's Ban on Point and Non-Point Discharges of Waste into Areas of Special Biological Significance," American Bar Association Section on Energy, Environment and Resources Quarterly Magazine, Fall 2005

Recent Seminars and Speeches
Climate Change & Business Breakfast Discussion: Corporate Risk from the Changing Climate, Rady School of Management, April 2009
Climate Conversations: Update on Regulations That Will Implement AB 32, Cap and Trade and More, Environmental Breakfast Club, April 2009
Climate Change: From International Treaties to CEQA and Due Diligence, Continuing Legal Education, San Diego Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, January 2009
Climate Change: Legislation and Litigation Analysis, San Diego Environmental Professionals, January 2009
Climate Change: Legislation and Litigation, Environmental Breakfast Club, October 2008
Climate Change: The Rising Sea Level, Webcast presentation to City Council, Del Mar, October 2008
Green to Gold: Monetizing the Clean Tech Phenomena for SoCal Tech Companies, August 2008
Climate Change: Legislation, the SEC and Litigation, Rady School of Business, University of California at San Diego, June 2008
Carbon Case Law Update, April 2008
Sustainability and Green Practices for Service Industries, Urban Land Institute, April 2008

Related News/Events
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San Diego Business Journal