Dennis McLerran
ATTORNEY
Seattle
Direct Line: (206) 292-2646
dmclerran@cascadialaw.com
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Dennis joined Cascadia Law Group in 2017 and his practice focuses on carbon and climate planning and policy development, air quality permitting and land use law. He helps clients with setting and meeting carbon goals, developing solutions to transportation decarbonization and working through permitting issues. He also assists municipal clients with developing and defending land use regulations.
Professional Experience
Former Presidential Appointee under Barack Obama, serving as Regional Administrator for EPA Region 10, covering the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska; served as Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency between 1994 and 2010; and has served as a cabinet member for multiple mayors in Seattle and Port Townsend, Washington. Dennis directed the Seattle Department of Construction and Land Use under two mayors and also served in the Seattle City Attorney’s Office in the Land Use Division. He served as the City of Port Townsend’s first appointed City Attorney. These roles put Dennis at the forefront of a wide range of environmental, climate and land use policy issues in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
Provides counsel to several large ports and utilities, advising them on carbon and climate planning and other policy issues related to transportation planning and realizing their climate change targets.
Provides land use advice and counsel to municipal governments including drafting code amendments.
Expert in the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and its application to permitting and planning issues and provides advice to several regional and local governments on SEPA matters.
Conceived of and led creation of a number of innovative and award winning national and international collaborations including the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, the regional Diesel Solutions program and was a co-founder of the West Coast Diesel Collaborative where he led successful efforts to support creation of the North American Emission Control Area by the International Maritime Organization.
Led several US Delegations to China and to other Asia Pacific nations to foster international cooperation on addressing the air and climate impacts of international shipping. He led US EPAs Green Ports and Vessels Initiative during the Obama Administration and has been a speaker and participant in a number of US/China and West Coast port collaborations such as the Pacific Ports Clean Air Collaborative.
Expert in treaty rights and building collaborations with Pacific Northwest and Alaska Tribes.
Serves as a mediator in complex land use and environmental disputes.
Honors
One of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Environmental and Energy Lawyers (2021-2022)
Received the S. Smith Griswold Outstanding Air Pollution Control Official Award in 2019 from the Air and Waste Management Association, the leading international organization for environmental professionals.
Leading Practitioner in Chambers USA, Environment (2022-2023)
Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law - Lawdragon (2023)
Bar and Civic Activities
Appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Leadership Council of the Puget Sound Partnership. He was appointed to this position in 2018 and continues to serve on this board charged with stewarding the recovery of Puget Sound under the National Estuary Program.
Serves on multiple boards and advisory councils for non-profit organizations including the US arm of the Stockholm Environment Institute (recognized as one of the nation’s premier environmental think tanks); Washington Maritime Blue (an NGO charged with fostering maritime innovation and deep decarbonization of the sector); the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (established under an international treaty between the US and Canada charged with environmental stewardship of the upper Skagit River basin crossing the borders of the US and Canada; the Advisory Council for the Salish Seas Institute at Western Washington State University (focused on international collaboration to foster the health and recovery of the international waters of the Salish Sea); and serves as a member of the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition (an organization charged with promoting salmon recovery and the legacy of civil rights champion Billy Frank Jr.).
Past President and Board Member of the Land Use and Environmental Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association.
Leader and member of a number of national bodies including Past President and Board Member of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, the US EPA’s Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, the EPA’s Mobile Source Technical Review Subcommittee and several other federal advisory committees to US EPA.
Recipient of several honors from civic associations including Public Employee of the Year from the Municipal League of King County, Maritime Industry Public Official of the Year from the Seattle Propeller Club to being honored twice with “Dennis McLerran Day” by Proclamation of the Mayor and City Council of Seattle.
Served on and/or organized a number of climate change advisory bodies including forming the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s Climate Protection Advisory Committee which resulted in passage of multiple pieces of Washington State climate and energy conservation legislation; Governor Jay Inslee’s Climate Emissions Reduction Task Force; Governor Chris Gregoire’s Climate Action Team; the West Coast Governor’s Climate Advisory panel; and Snohomish County, Washington’s Climate Advisory Panel.
Served as Co-Chair of Governor Inslee’s Maritime Blue Task Force, charged with developing pathways for innovation and deep decarbonization of the maritime sector in Washington State.
Frequent keynote speaker and is a regular speaker at continuing legal education seminars as an expert on climate and environmental policy issues.
Education
After growing up in Eastern Washington Dennis attended the University of Washington, receiving a BA in Urban Planning. Dennis earned his law degree from the Seattle University School of Law, where he was a leader of the public interest law foundation and graduated with honors.
Bar Admissions
Member of the Washington State Bar
