Samantha G. Neumyer

Practice Focus
Energy
Facility Siting and Land Use
Energy Transactions
Compliance & Enforcement
Renewable Energy
Transportation
Consumer Representation
Legislation
CEQA / NEPA Documentation and Compliance
Environmental
CEQA / NEPA
ESA / CESA
GHG Regulation
Consumer Product Compliance

Bar and Court Admissions
State Bar of California
All California State Courts
United States District Courts (Eastern District)

Education
J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 2009
B.A., University of California, San Diego, 2005

Samantha Neumyer is a Partner in Ellison Schneider Harris & Donlan. Samantha represents a range of clients on environmental, regulatory, and compliance matters before the California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, California Independent System Operator, and other agencies. Her practice focuses on facility siting for renewable, energy storage, and natural gas-fired facilities, regulatory compliance, wildfire issues affecting the energy industry, and enforcement defense. Samantha has served on the permitting team for both utility-scale renewable energy power plants and natural gas-fired power plants.

Samantha has successfully represented clients in complaint and compliance proceedings before the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission. In addition to her administrative and regulatory experience, Samantha provides legislative analysis for both energy and environmental law matters, and has experience drafting statutory language for proposed legislation.

Representative Experience

• Part of the siting team for Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (at the time, the largest solar thermal power plant); Mariposa Energy Project; Alamitos Energy Center (projects approved and built).
• Part of the siting team for Hidden Hill SEGS, Redondo Beach Energy Center, Mission Rock Energy Center, Almasol (projects stopped in development phase).
• Assist in the development and permitting of large scale solar and energy storage facilities in California.
• Represent utility and independent power producers in regulatory compliance and permits amendments for geothermal, solar, and natural gas facilities in California.
• Represent clients in administrative investigation and complaint proceedings at the CEC and CPUC.
• Advise clients in asset acquisitions, including due diligence review.
• Advise clients on wildfire issues in California, including the implications of inverse condemnation liability, the CPUC regulatory framework, legislative bill monitoring and analysis.
• Advise clients on CEC appliance efficiency and building standards.

Representative Clients

Clients include public agencies, public utilities, independent power producers, appliance manufacturers, and non-profit entities.

Industries Served

The electric generation industry including those developing and operating utility-scale wind, solar, geothermal, energy storage, and natural gas power plants.Large scale electric consumers.Appliance manufacturers. Local agency and municipal utilities.

Professional Involvement

California State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section

Awards and Professional Recognition

Selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars for 2018-2019

Publications

Pacific McGeorge Global Business & Development Law Journal, Biodiversity Conservation v. Hydropower Dams: Can Saving the Fish Save the Mekong River Basin?, Volume 22, Number 1 (2009).