Andrew C. Silton guides clients through complex regulatory issues and high stakes litigation arising under the nation's clean water laws.
His practice focuses primarily on issues arising under the nation’s water quality laws and spans regulatory counseling, enforcement defense, and litigation. He is currently the Deputy Chair of the firm’s Water Practice Group and represents clients from both the private and public sectors in matters arising under the Clean Water Act and state law. Drew advises clients in a variety of sectors, ranging from waste and stormwater utilities to companies in the renewable energy, information technology, oil and gas, and transportation sectors.
Drew also plays an active role in the firm's pesticide data compensation practice. He has brought multiple arbitrations to obtain compensation from competitors who have relied on clients' pesticide data to obtain registrations. Drew has also represented members of the pesticide industry in high profile administrative law litigation impacting the regulation and registration of pesticide products.
Andrew’s experience includes:
- Counseling data center operators on a variety of obligations under the Clean Water Act relating to the discharge of wastewater and storage of petroleum products.
- Assisting clients with the negotiation and renewal of NPDES permits.
- Authoring amicus briefs in cases impacting the scope of the Clean Water Act and the regulation of pesticide products.
- Scoping and executing comprehensive compliance audits.
- Defending clients in cases of first impression brought under the Clean Water Act.
- Defending clients in toxic tort litigation.
- Challenging local ordinances on preemption grounds.
- Defending clients in state and federal enforcement actions, including the negotiation of consent orders and consent decrees.
Prior to entering private practice, Drew gained experience working for the government and tackling emerging issues relating to adaptation to climate change. Immediately after graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, Drew served as a special law clerk at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Philadelphia, where he prepared cost recovery and enforcement actions under CERCLA and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
