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Meet Our Professionals

Steven D. Weber

Partner
Charlotte | 704.335.9065
Columbia | By Appointment Only
Atlanta | By Appointment Only
Mobile | 704.957.7668
Fax | 704.334.4706

Steve Weber has helped clients navigate the nuances of environmental law for over 31 years. Steve's environmental practice is broad, encompassing related practice areas such as regulatory, administrative, zoning, and municipal. His practice is three-fold: litigation, compliance, and transactions. In the litigation arena, Steve defends clients in state, federal, administrative, and local zoning matters, as well as multidistrict litigation and class actions. Steve's compliance practice involves permitting, environmental audits, regulatory counseling, and agency relations. Steve's transactional work includes environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, financing, and Brownfields agreements.

Steve was appointed by the North Carolina Speaker of the House to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (NCEMC) and served a four-year term. The NCEMC approves North Carolina environmental rules, serves as a quasi-judicial body to rule on environmental appeals, and decides special statutory certifications such as interbasin transfers.

In 2023, Steve was named by The Best Lawyers in America as Lawyer of the Year for environmental litigation in the Charlotte, North Carolina, region.

Steve is a regular speaker and lecturer on emerging environmental issues such as PFAS and environmental justice, and he provides interactive training on environmental auditing, litigation performance, and legal privileges. Steve also routinely authors environmental publications and updates on emerging topics.

Representative Experience

  • Represented clients that include utilities, foundries and steel mills, forest products, pulp and paper, construction, solid and hazardous waste services, chemical and consumer product manufacturing, flooring products, financial institutions, warehousing, municipalities, textile services, military product manufacturers, hospitality services, medical services, real estate developers, pipeline services, renewable energy (solar, wind, and hydroelectric), breweries, agencies, and home builders, among others.
  • Represented clients in PFAS regulatory counseling, investigation, and litigation, including federal, multidistrict, state, and class action defense.
    • Currently serves as national coordinating counsel for two defendant chemical manufacturing companies in multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving over 10,000 separate water provider and personal injury lawsuits and multiple putative class actions.
    • Currently counsels U.S. and international manufacturing clients on emerging PFAS regulations and advisories at the federal and state levels.
  • Advised on interbasin transfer defense, counseling, and challenges.
  • Counseled on odor, noise, and alleged nuisance compliance and litigation.
  • Advised on solid and hazardous waste management and disposal matters.
  • Represented clients in water quality permitting and certifications, compliance, and litigation, drought management, wetlands, NPDES permitting, and hydropower matters.
  • Represented clients in federal Superfund litigation and state court litigation involving soil and groundwater impacts. This includes representation of a state agency in its efforts to address environmental impacts and obtain reimbursement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a fellow state agency.
  • Advised on agency relations and appeals of agency orders.
  • Counseled on environmental insurance litigation and litigated a favorable Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision on insurer duty to defend.
  • Advised on hazardous waste compliance and responses to notices of violation under RCRA.
  • Counseled on the environmental aspects of renewable energy development (solar, wind, and hydropower), including emerging industrial wind permitting regulation.
  • Advised on the environmental aspects of pipeline development.
  • Defended clients against citizen suits under RCRA, CERCLA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and other environmental statutes.
  • Advised on Clean Air Act Title V permitting and other air matters.
  • Counseled on consumer product labeling and FIFRA regulation, including imported products.
  • Counseled on underground storage tank regulation and cleanups.
  • Advised on environmental issues in business transactions, including due diligence reviews, environmental audits, and site assessments.
  • Defended clients in environmental and business class action litigation.
  • Advised on TSCA compliance matters.
  • Counseled on Brownfields redevelopment.
  • Represented clients in environmental professional negligence defense.
  • Advised on environmental aspects of zoning and land use planning.

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Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law, 2011-2025; Environmental Litigation, 2011-2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" in Charlotte for Environmental Litigation, 2023
  • Business North Carolina magazine's "Legal Elite" in Environmental, 2009, 2012-2013, 2016, 2018-2019, 2023-2024
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers in Environmental Law, 2009-2024
  • North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2009
  • Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, 2003
  • Martindale-Hubbell BV® Distinguished™ in Environmental; Municipalities & Counties; Litigation; Class Action Defense; Resort, Hospitality & Planned Development; Renewable Energy; Eco-Business

Memberships

  • North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, 2005-2009
  • Leadership Charlotte, Class of XXIII
  • Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission, Chairman, 2003-2005
  • Mecklenburg County Environmental Policy Coordinating Council, Chairman, 2003-2005
  • Mecklenburg County Environmental Protection Commission, Chairman, 1999-2003; Vice-Chair, 1997-1999
  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Young Professional of the Year