James W Sanderson

Practice Areas

Environmental Law and Litigation

Natural Resources

Public Lands

Mining Law

Water Law

Career

Jim Sanderson practices in the areas of environmental law, water resources development, public lands, mined land reclamation, and public policy government affairs. As one of the first practitioners of environmental law in the Rocky Mountain region, Jim has been ranked as a leading environmental lawyer by Chambers USA since 2008. Jim’s work focuses on air and water quality, wildlife and endangered species, land use, BLM and Forest Service public lands issues, floating and river use and access issues, wetlands, waste disposal, and underground contamination. He has extensive experience in lobbying, EIS/NEPA compliance, permitting, negotiating with both government agencies and adversary groups, litigation in State and Federal Courts involving environmental issues, supporting agency decisions, seeking to overturn them and in defending enforcement actions. He is also experienced in expert witness selection and coordination.

In governmental policy development, Jim has represented clients in federal and state rulemaking, permitting, and policy development concerning air and water quality, Wild & Scenic River designation, waste disposal, groundwater cleanup standards, and electric transmission line siting. In the permitting arena, Jim’s experience extends to air permits, water discharge permits, MS4 stormwater permits, Section 404 permits, and federal rights-of-way.

Professional Memberships

Colorado Mining Association, Chair (2020), Member (1994–present), Board of Directors (2002–present), Vice Chair for Governmental Affairs (2004–2024), Chair Governmental Affairs Committee and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors (2024–present)

American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (1977–present)

Colorado Bar Association, Member of Sections on Environmental Law and Water Law (1977–present), Ethics Committee (1984–1992)

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, Natural Resources Law Practitioner in Residence (2005)

University of Denver, Master’s Program in Environmental Policy, Adjunct Professor (1992 and 1993)

Frequent speaker on environmental, ethical, and administrative policy issues

Work Highlights

Served as NEPA counsel for EIS processes for the SunZia Electric Transmission Project in New Mexico and Arizona and the BLM’s proposed Blue Valley Land Exchange in Colorado

Challenged EPA’s regulatory actions under the Clean Air Act in the U.S. Court of Appeals

Served as NEPA and environmental counsel for the proponent of a 500-mile renewable energy transmission line

Protected mining claims under the federal mining laws

Obtained BLM and U.S. Forest Service land use approvals

Served as environmental counsel for permitting a cutting-edge waste tire recycling facility

Secured MS4 storm water permitting for municipalities

Secured BLM land exchanges with associated NEPA compliance and environmental contractor oversight

Obtained new source air permitting for manufacturing facilities and mines

Represented clients in federal and state rulemaking and policy development concerning air and water quality

Demonstrated ability to build consensus and coalition, as exemplified by regional energy development (oil shale and power plants), area-wide water supply solutions, securing adoption of air quality solutions to control mercury emissions and reduce air pollution impacts to National Parks and wilderness areas, and Wild & Scenic River protection

Appointed as a member of the Colorado Visibility & Air Quality Related Values Task Force, which led to the 1996 enactment of the first state law to protect wilderness areas and national parks from the effects of air pollution and acid rain

Co-authored a major revision of Colorado’s air quality law, which received unanimous endorsement from both business and environmental groups

Negotiated a comprehensive consensus approach among utilities, environmental groups, and local governments to regulating mercury emissions from power plants, with the consensus rules being unanimously adopted by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission

Assisted legislative sponsors in drafting and testifying on several amendments regarding Colorado’s air and water quality laws and reclamation law

Participated in Colorado Governor Lamm’s Metropolitan Denver Water Roundtable (sought a consensus solution to the area’s water supply needs)

Served as member of the Management Committee of the Colorado Water Congress Special Project on Endangered Species to develop solutions to the conflict between water use and development and recovery of endangered species

Served as member of the Colorado Association of Commerce Industry Committees on Air Quality and Water Quality