Eric is a leading energy and natural resources attorney in the Pacific Northwest.
He assists renewable and traditional energy companies, as well as major energy consumers, to navigate the complex legal and regulatory systems governing the nation’s energy industry. With more than 30 years of experience, Eric has successfully represented clients in litigation and regulatory matters, ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to proceedings before federal and state agencies. Before entering private practice, Eric served as Assistant General Counsel at Snohomish County (WA) Public Utility District, one of the largest publicly-owned utilities in the U.S., and as a trial attorney at the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Eric’s litigation experience includes successfully representing Snohomish County Public Utility District in a series of lawsuits arising from the Enron crisis involving action at every level of the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as administrative litigation resulting in an order requiring Enron to disgorge more than $1 billion. He has also litigated dozens of matters in the federal and state courts. These include federal court challenges to the landmark federal orders restructuring regulation of the electricity, natural gas, and oil pipeline industries in the U.S. and critical regulatory and Constitutional issues in the Washington courts, including several matters before the Washington Supreme Court.
Eric guides clients through transactions involving renewable and traditional energy facilities, energy and derivatives trades, environmental concerns, engineering and construction services, early-stage and traditional financing, risk management, and government grants and tax incentives. He assists clients with energy and infrastructure transactions throughout Washington, including wind generation, hydroelectric, and renewable energy projects as well as the contracts governing sales of power and transmission from the Northwest’s huge federal hydroelectric and transmission systems. He has put together transactions involving financing, engineering services, construction of buildings and similar facilities, and energy and commodity trades.
Eric also assisted with landmark litigation in both the state and federal courts as well as successfully litigated claims involving liability for hazardous waste contamination and assisted developers to reclaim and redevelop brownfields sites.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Eric L. Christensen
- Federal Court Rejects Interior Department Interpretation Limiting Migratory Bird Treaty Act Liability For Intentional Acts - (Posted On Monday, August 24, 2020)
- Federal Court Dismisses Federal Challenge to California’s Cap-and-Trade Linkage to Quebec Program - (Posted On Tuesday, August 11, 2020)
- Trump Administration Nominates Two to FERC, Could Restore Commission to Full Strength - (Posted On Thursday, July 30, 2020)
- Two Nominations Could Return FERC to Partisan Balance - (Posted On Wednesday, July 29, 2020)
- FERC Adopts Final Rule on PURPA Reform Putting Long-Term Renewable Energy Contracts at Risk - (Posted On Wednesday, July 29, 2020)
- Pacific Northwest Utilities Seek Thousands of Megawatts of New Renewable and Non-Emitting Energy: A Huge Opportunity for Independent Power Producers - (Posted On Friday, July 24, 2020)
- D.C. Rejects Routine FERC Practice of Tolling Rehearing, Forcing Drastic Changes in FERC Practice - (Posted On Tuesday, June 30, 2020)
- FERC Schedules Technical Conferences on Offshore Wind and Carbon Pricing to Address Issues Critical to Renewable Energy - (Posted On Thursday, June 25, 2020)
- Oregon Appeals Court Confirms Water Rights for Hydroelectric Power - (Posted On Tuesday, June 16, 2020)
- Treasury Department Proposes Regulations to Govern Tax Credits for Carbon Capture and Sequestration - (Posted On Monday, June 15, 2020)
The National Law Review names Beveridge & Diamond a Go-To Thought Leader in the field of environmental law for the year 2022. Authors Eric L. Christensen, Brook J. Detterman, David M. Friedland, Jennifer J. Leech, and Zachary B. Pilchen authored the article "Key Takeaways from U.S. Supreme Court Decision in West Virginia v. EPA," detailing the considerable importance of this landmark SCOTUS ruling for environmental and administrative law. Their thought leadership saw significant readership throughout the year, demonstrating the high quality and timeliness of their work.