ANDREW STEWART is a partner in the firm’s Environmental practice group, which is highly ranked in Chambers USA 2022 nationally, and has a Band 1 ranking in the District of Columbia. Sidley was designated “Law Firm of the Year” in the national Environmental Law category of the 2023 Edition of “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. He is a former senior official from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who helps clients solve a broad range of compliance and enforcement issues. Andrew focuses his practice on complex, high-stakes environmental matters, where an insider’s knowledge of the regulatory process is particularly important. These representations include enforcement matters, involving the EPA, state agencies, and the Department of Justice that arise under multiple environmental laws.
With nearly 25 years of experience in Environmental law, he handles matters arising under all major federal environmental laws, as well as state laws, including the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). His work includes assisting clients in the oil and gas, chemical manufacturing, life sciences, and vehicle and engine manufacturing industries on permitting requirements, counseling on critical environmental obligations, and defense of government enforcement and citizen suit actions. Andrew counsels clients on addressing site impacts under federal environmental laws and permits, as well as reporting and other obligations under RCRA, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) (including the Toxics Release Inventory). He regularly advises companies on making voluntary disclosures under both the U.S. EPA Audit Policy and state voluntary disclosure programs.
Andrew draws on his experience as a senior manager at the EPA, where he served as an acting division director in the Office of Civil Enforcement. During his tenure at the EPA, Andrew led various complex enforcement matters and litigation affecting numerous industrial sectors, including oil and gas, chemical manufacturing, agribusiness, and mining. He handled cases relating to the CWA, CAA, RCRA, and FIFRA, among others. He also had lead responsibility for overseeing implementation of the EPA’s Audit Policy and resolution of numerous disclosures under the Policy. His service at the EPA also included work as a senior attorney in the Water Enforcement Division, handling enforcement matters related to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure program requirements, as well as matters involving noncompliance with the wetlands program.
Andrew serves as Co-chair of the Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee within the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.