Marc Campopiano has extensive experience in obtaining governmental approvals and ensuring environmental compliance for major energy, infrastructure, and land use matters. Mr. Campopiano has particular expertise with matters involving complex climate change, air quality, and land use issues. He represents real estate developers, energy companies, and utilities on a range of projects, including major residential and commercial development, renewable and traditional power generation, transmission lines, gas storage facilities, and cleantech development.

Mr. Campopiano parlays his strong environmental background with legal experience to deliver specialized representation on matters where technical and legal issues can be closely intertwined. He has a Masters of Environmental Science and Management and previously worked as an environmental consultant evaluating power plants, transmission lines, and other major projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Mr. Campopiano has particular experience in matters related to energy, climate change, land use, air quality, health risk assessments, and biological impacts. He frequently advises clients on requirements under the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Air Act, and Clean Water Act.

Mr. Campopiano formerly served as Local Chair of the Environment, Land & Resources Department in the Orange County office.

Mr. Campopiano’s representative matters include the following:

  • Represented Newhall Land and Farming Company with CEQA approvals from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Air Resources Board, and County of Los Angeles as the first-ever large “net zero GHG” master-planned community in California, including developing ground-breaking strategies to mitigate climate impacts and to meet net zero energy standards
  • Counseled Southern California Edison on the West Devers Transmission Line Project before the California Public Utilities Commission and Bureau of Land Management to facilitate the interconnection of renewable generation, including obtaining approvals under the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act
  • Represented SoCalGas with regulatory actions related to the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak, including matters before the California Public Utilities Commission and the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources
  • Represented NRG Energy with regard to its Puente Power Project before the California Energy Commission, integrating renewable sources and maintaining grid reliability
  • Represent Stanton Energy Reliability Center before the California Public Utilities Commission and in litigation before the Court of Appeal
  • Represented Hyperloop One with obtaining approval from the Bureau of Land Management to construct the first-ever full scale “hyperloop” test track on federal land in Nevada
  • Successfully represented CPV Sentinel LLC before the Ninth Circuit in defense of a lawsuit seeking to overturn the US Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of emission credits for its US$1 billion power plant
  • Assisted major power producer with participating in a state rulemaking process to implement regulations under Section 316(b) of the federal Clean Water Act
  • Represented large wind farm with first out-of-country certification by the California Energy Commission under California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS)

Thought Leadership

  • Co-Author, “California Legislature Passes Four Aggressive Climate Bills and Authorizes Extension of Diablo Canyon” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, September 8, 2022
  • Co-Author, “California Legislature to Consider Aggressive Climate Targets” Latham & Watkins Blog, August 26, 2022
  • Co-Author, “Nine Takeaways From the Inflation Reduction Act’s Climate Initiatives” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, August 23, 2022
  • Co-Author, “California Expands State Agency Authority to Spur Clean Energy and Bolster Grid Reliability” Latham & Watkins Blog, July 8, 2022
  • Co-Author, “CEQA Case Report: 2021 Year in Review” Latham & Watkins Environment, Land & Resources, June 23, 2022
  • Co-Author, “Disclosing Climate-Related Risks and Metrics Under the SEC’s Proposed Rule” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, April 6, 2022
  • Co-Author, “California Senate Passes Broad GHG Emissions Reporting Requirements” Latham & Watkins Blog, February 8, 2022
  • Co-Author, “Climate Disclosures and the SEC” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, October 8, 2021
  • Co-Author, “Climate Change, the Regulatory Compact, and Public Utility Rights” ABA Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, April 29, 2021
  • Co-Author, “California Water Law: Legal Challenges of Water Supply Assessments” Latham & Watkins Blog, March 28, 2022
  • Co-Author, “CEQA Case Report: 2020 Year in Review” Latham & Watkins Environment, Land & Resources, February 25, 2021
  • Co-Author, “California Legislature Cannot Limit Judicial Review of Certain Power Projects” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, December 4, 2020
  • Co-Author, “Trends in Public Utility Regulation: 5 Developments at the California Public Utilities Commission” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, March 10, 2020 
  • Co-Author, “California Supreme Court Clarifies Standards for Judicial Review and Air Quality Analyses” Latham & Watkins Client Alert, March 6, 2019
  • Mr. Campopiano is a regular contributor to the firm's Clean Energy Report Blog at www.cleanenergylawreport.com.

Speaking Engagements

  • Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact on US Clean Energy Tax Credits, Climate, and Environmental Policies, August 2022
  • Enhanced Climate Disclosures by Private Companies, NACW Conference, April 2022
  • ESG: Tope Trends to Watch For – Legal Perspectives, Annual ROTH Conference, March 2022
  • 2021 CEQA Year in Review – CEQA’s Effects on Development in California, March 2022
  • 2021 CEQA Year in Review, February 2022
  • Wildfire in CEQA – Development Reviews and Streamlining Tools, CEQA  Annual Conference: The Year in Review, December 2021 
  • Wildfire Implications on California Development: CEQA, Legislation, and More, October 2021
  • The Economics, Future & Opportunity of ESG Platforms for Global to Local Sustainability & Success, Sustain Southern California, September, 2021
  • Wildfire Implications on California Development, Latham Webcast, November 2020 
  • Recent Updates and Court Cases Related to CEQA, Air & Waste Management Association Annual Conference, October 2019
  •  Addressing GHG Emissions under CEQA: Recent Developments and Trends for 2019, North American Carbon World Conference, Los Angeles, April 2019
  • When is it Defensible to Mitigate CEQA GHG Emissions Impacts with GHG Credits? AEP Conference, Monterey, March 2019

 

 

 

Bar Qualification

  • California

Education

  • JD, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 2006
  • Masters of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2000
  • BA, University of California, Los Angeles, 1997
    cum laude
General Recognition Thumbnail
March 26, 2018Recognition

2018 CLAY Awards: Net Zero Newhall

A Latham environmental team advising the Newhall Ranch community is honored as Attorneys of the Year for innovative work in advancing one of the largest master-planned communities ever proposed in California.