by 

Allyn G. Turner and

M. Katherine Crockett

Charleston, W.Va.

 

The federal Endangered Species Act  is designed to prevent the taking of endangered species and imposes a regulatory program geared toward the protection and conservation of federally listed species and their critical habitat. Companies undertaking activities with the potential to impact an endangered species must comply with the ESA, which typically involves such steps as advance planning regarding potential species impacts, a habitat assessment, and consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service  and other agencies with regulatory jurisdiction over the project. 

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W.Va. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin recently announced that a Brazilian company, Odebrecht, is exploring building a new petrochemical complex near Parkersburg, W.Va. With the rise of activity in the Appalachian shale natural gas play, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have worked hard to attract such facilities to the region.

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In 2013, Pennsylvania continued to see an increase in shale wells, and pipeline build-out continues to be a priority. Focus on the potential of compressed natural gas for use in transportation has also increased.

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Ms. Jones is the Chair of Spilman's Litigation Department. She regularly serves as lead counsel in a wide variety of litigation cases, including toxic tort, water contamination, medical monitoring, product liability, commercial disputes, employment and deliberate intent cases. Ms. Jones is a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and is a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. She has been ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Litigation: General Commercial and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants.