Transportation Safety

Babst Calland’s Transportation and Energy Safety Group represents clients throughout the United States on a wide variety of transportation and energy facility safety matters. Whether its obtaining regulatory approval for an emerging technology, guiding an energy company through a dispute with the government, or solving a difficult regulatory interpretive challenge, we find bold solutions to tough problems.  Led by former U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) attorneys with more than 35 years of combined experience, the group has experience with all the transportation safety programs administered by DOT (PHMSA, FMCSA, FRA, FAA and NHTSA).  We also counsel clients on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations and Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) compliance.  Our advice is informed by a cross-cutting perspective on managing safety and compliance risk, deep familiarity with the regulatory frameworks and an understanding of our clients’ business.  Our clients are energy and technology companies and investors across the value chain, including pipelines, utilities, power producers, renewables developers, LNG terminals, trade associations, and other stakeholders in the energy and transportation sectors.

The Transportation and Energy Safety practice offers a broad range of services:

  • Preventative and Strategic Counseling
  • Internal Audits
  • Preparing for and Responding to Inspections and Investigations
  • Due Diligence
  • Safety Codes and Standards
  • Enforcement
  • Special Permits, Approvals and Preemption Determinations
  • Rulemaking
  • Appellate Review of Agency Action
  • Policy Development and Legislation

Our attorneys are trusted partners that help clients resolve day-to-day regulatory interpretive matters, prepare for inspections, defend PHMSA, FRA, FMCSA, NHTSA enforcement proceedings, and seek review of agency actions in the appellate courts.  Our group also assists clients in obtaining special permits and approvals, responding to incidents, and dealing with the development and patchwork adoption of safety codes and standards across jurisdictions. Finally, the group provides strategic counseling on legislative and regulatory affairs and transactional matters related to the divestiture and acquisition of energy assets.

Our attorneys are active in leading energy trade organizations and are often called on to speak at association events and contribute thought leadership on safety.