EXPERIENCE

JP’s experience includes advising:

Carbon Capture and Storage

• Saudi Aramco on the development of a 9 million MTCO2/annum CCS project in Saudi Arabia with Linde, SABIC, and Air Products
• CRC on multiple CCS projects in California
• Conoco Philips on multiple CCS projects in Texas and Louisiana
• Wolf Carbon Solutions on the development of a US$5 billion CCS project in the Midwest US across multiple counterparties, including ADM
• Exxon on two CCS projects in the US
• Brookfield on its US$500 million CCS joint venture with CRC announced in 2022
• Air Products on the development of a CCS project in California
• Microsoft on its financing of two Direct Air Capture Climeworks projects in Iceland
• Western States Petroleum Association on regulatory requirements applicable to CCS projects nationally
• Targa on the development of a CCS project in Texas
• Occidental Petroleum and its Low Carbon Ventures business on a CCS project with White Energy intended to qualify under the 45Q credit program and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and other matters in connection with CCS

Carbon Neutrality and Environmental Credit Transactions

• FivePoint/Newhall Ranch on the mitigation of 15,000,000 MT of CO2e associated with Newhall Ranch, the first carbon neutral city in North America, through a wide mix of onsite and offsite measures, including multiple environmental credit transactions involving cook stoves in Africa, forest protection in California, dairy farms in California, cool roofs in Los Angeles, energy efficiency in Los Angeles, electric vehicles charging station in Los Angeles County, and others
• Chevron and Phillips 66 on the establishment of their carbon acquisition business and more than 30 carbon offset transactions across multiple asset classes (including forestry and industrial gases) and transaction structures
• Microsoft on the deployment of its US$1 billion Climate Innovation Fund
• American Airlines on greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and disclosure issues
• Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley on environmental commodity transactions, including carbon allowances and carbon offset credits
• More than five hedge funds and asset managers on their participation in various environmental commodity markets, including the EU ETS, RGGI, RFS, LCFS, and the CA C&T programs
• Emergent Forest Finance Accelerator on its legal agreements with donors, credit purchasers, and host countries for international REDD forestry projects
• A real estate developer on the negotiation and structuring of an option to purchase 9 million offsets to mitigate the emissions of a large development project
• Restore the Earth Foundation on the restoration of 1 million acres of degraded land in the Mississippi Delta
• Indigo on the development of its Indigo Carbon business including on the development of soil carbon methodologies at CAR and VERRA
• LEAP on the development of its standard agreement for the purchase and sale of Renewable Identification Numbers issued under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard

Environmental Issues in Transactions

• Property Solutions Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in its merger with Faraday Future, a California-based global shared intelligent mobility ecosystem company that makes electronic vehicles, to create a combined company with a value in excess of US$3.3 billion
• RMG Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: RMG) on its US$1.33 billion business combination with Los Angeles-based Romeo Power Technology, an industry leading energy technology company focused on designing and manufacturing lithium-ion battery modules and packs for commercial electric vehicles.
• Ares Management Corporation on Aviator Wind East, an approximately 200 MW portion of the 525 MW Aviator Wind project located in Coke County, Texas that has a renewable power purchase agreement with Facebook
• ArcLight Capital Partners in a number of transactions, including the US$2.1 billion acquisition with the Blackstone Energy Group of four power plants from American Electric Power, and the acquisition of Associated Asphalt
• ArcLight Capital Partners in the acquisition and subsequent disposition of Leeward Renewable Energy – a portfolio of more than 19 wind projects in the US to OMERS Infrastructure Management, Inc.
• The Chemlogics Group in its US$1.4 billion sale to Solvay USA Inc. Leonard Green & Partners on numerous transactions, including the US$2.8 billion leveraged buyout of LifeTime Fitness and the acquisition of Pro Mach

Litigation and Enforcement

• SoCalGas in connection with the methane leak from the Aliso Canyon underground storage field in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles
• An industry coalition on its intervention in the California offset litigation Citizens Climate Lobby and Our Children’s Earth Foundation vs. California Air Resources Board (San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-12-519554)
• A global oil and gas company on compliance issues arising in connection with the purchase of invalid Renewable Identification Numbers
• A power company on the self-disclosure of violations of regulations promulgated under AB 32
• A utility on information requests sent by the market monitor of the California cap-and-trade program
• A large number of companies on various enforcement actions by the California Air Resources Board, including with respect to auction participation, carbon emissions reporting, SF6 emissions, carbon offset invalidation, and others

Advocacy

• The Western States Petroleum Association and other companies on the negotiation of AB 398 and AB 617, that extended the California cap-and-trade program through 2030
• Multiple companies on issues pending before or being considered by the California Legislature, the Office of the Governor, the Office of Planning and Research, the Air Resources Board, and the Department of Conservation

Commodity-Related Transactions

• A leading US investment bank on its uranium trading documentation
• A leading US investment bank on the negotiation of natural gas tolls
• A number of power generating facilities on the negotiation of power purchase agreements
• A large company on the negotiation of a hydrogen offtake agreement
• A global commodities firm on the acquisition of a global mining business
• A large oil and gas company on the sale of its solar energy business

Carbon Funds

• Inlandsis on strategic investment issues
• Restore the Earth Foundation on the creation of an Impact Fund
• Finite Carbon on the creation of the Cascade Fund
• Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations on the creation of an international forestry fund
• The World Bank on the creation of more than eight carbon funds, including the Prototype Carbon Fund and the Bio Carbon Fund

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist, “Lawyers’ Roundtable on Carbon Markets & Claims: EPA Power Plant Proposal, Green Claims, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC),” IETA North America Climate Summit 2023, September 20, 2023
• Panelist, "Exploring the Legal Nature of Carbon Credits," IETA LIVE Series, September 6, 2023
• Speaker, "Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Impact on CCUS in the US," CCSA Regulation and Policy Working Group Meeting, London, March 2, 2023
• Speaker, "The Annual Climate Change COP: Recent Developments and Next Steps," American Bar Association, Environment, Energy, and Resources Section Virtual Event, January 11, 2023
• Panelist, "The Role of Financial Organizations and Carbon Markets in Accelerating CCS Deployment," COP 27, Egypt, November 15, 2022
• Panelist, "Carbon Offset and CCUS" COP 27, Egypt, November 2022
• Speaker, "Developing Successful Carbon Markets," Carbon Capture & Storage Association, London, October 19, 2022
• Speaker, "Capturing the Potential of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)/ Direct Air Capture (DAC)," North American Climate Summit, New York, September 22, 2022
• Speaker, "Decarbonisation technology in North America-carbon capture projects and progress," Argus North American Biofuels, LCFS & Carbon Markets Summit, Monterey, September 12, 2022
• Key Note Address, GFMA’s 2nd Annual Global Capital Markets Sustainable Finance Virtual Conference, December 14, 2021
• Speaker, “How are forward-looking nations leading the development of hydrogen economies?,” Hydrogen Transition Summit at COP26, Glasgow, Scotland, November 11, 2021
• Speaker, “Carbon Removals and Compliance Markets: Enabling the ‘Net’ in Net-Zero,” COP26 IETA Business Hub, Glasgow, Scotland, November 3, 2021
• Moderator, “Argus North American Biofuels, LCFS & Carbon Markets Summit,” Napa Valley, October 20, 2021
• Moderator, “Capitalizing on Carbon Capture,” 2021 EIC Investor Conference, Las Vegas, May 18, 2021
• Moderator, “CCUS Investment Opportunities: Market Growth, Environmental and Tax Credits, and Permitting Considerations,” Latham E&I Webcast, May 5, 2021
• Moderator, “Plenary: Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage: A Key Part of the Solution,” North American Carbon World 2021 Virtual Conference, April 28, 2021
• Panelist, “Grounded in Reality: Climate Markets to Scale Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS),” IETA LIVE Series, February 18, 2021
• Speaker, “Energy Markets Forum: WCI Supply & Demand – Current Mechanisms, Proposed Rulemaking and Offset Outlook,” Independent Commodity Intelligence Services Webinar, June 26, 2020
• Moderator, “Carbon Capture and Storage: Promising Developments on the Horizon?,” North American Carbon World Virtual Series Webinar, June 4, 2020
• Moderator, “California’s Cap-and-Trade and Other Western States’ Programs,” Argus Biofuels & Carbon Markets Summit, Napa Valley, October 22, 2019
• Opening Remarks, “Climate Week NYC: CALSTART Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero Program,” New York, September 24, 2019
• Panelist, “Recent Developments in the North American Carbon Market,” Carbon Forum North America, New York, September 24, 2019
• Speaker, “State and Future of the North American Carbon Market,” North American Carbon World, Los Angeles, April 25, 2019
• Panelist, “PT Carbon Pricing Delivering Ambition,” Carbon Forum North America, San Francisco, September 11, 2018
• Speaker and Panelist, “What does WCI Linkage Mean for Ontario Industries and Post-2020 Rules?,” 2nd Annual Ontario Cap and Trade Forum, Toronto, April 18, 2018
• Panelist, “State of the North American Carbon Market,” North American Carbon World, San Francisco, April 4, 2018
• Speaker, “Current Legal Issues Shaping and Reshaping Carbon and Climate Policy,” North American Carbon World, Legal Workshop, San Francisco, April 4, 2018