Benjamin Snowden

Practice Areas

Ben is an accomplished clean energy and environmental lawyer who advises clients on a range of transactional, regulatory and litigation matters.

In his energy practice, Ben represents companies developing or acquiring energy projects, in particular Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) qualifying facilities. He assists these companies in negotiating power purchase agreements with utilities and other offtakers, addressing interconnection issues and resolving regulatory disputes before state utilities commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Ben also advises clients in the energy and manufacturing sectors on environmental permitting, compliance and enforcement matters, with a particular focus on the Clean Air Act and related state programs.

When clients face regulatory enforcement challenges, Ben conducts internal investigations, handles the response to agency information requests and defends enforcement actions before state agencies and in federal court. He also represents clients in environmental litigation in federal and state courts, including products liability, contaminated site, citizen suit and natural resource damage cases.

Publications

Ben has published widely on energy and environmental topics, including renewable energy policy, EPA enforcement policy, greenhouse gas regulation and toxic tort litigation. He co-authored chapters on civil enforcement and the regulation of hazardous air pollutants in the 2011 and 2016 editions of the ABA’s Clean Air Act Handbook.

Personal

New York University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2004) | Vanderbilt University (B.A., cum laude, 1997)

Career

Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, Ben was an attorney in the Raleigh, North Carolina office of an international law firm. He previously clerked for the Honorable Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar Admissions: District of Columbia, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Committee, Chair (2014-2015), Air Quality Committee, Vice-Chair (2012-2013) | Montgomery County, Maryland, Energy and Air Quality Advisory Council, Co-Chair (2013-2014) | District of Columbia Bar: Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Section; Standing Committee on Sustainability, Chair (2013-2014)