Ronnie P. Hawks
Services
- Environmental Law
- Environmental Issues in Indian Country
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Regulatory
- State & Federal Superfund Law
- Hazardous Wastes, Solid Wastes & Special Wastes
- Brownfields
- Water Law
- NEPA Compliance
Ronnie P. Hawks
Ronnie Hawks’ practice concentrates primarily on environmental and regulatory matters involving a wide variety of state, federal, and tribal environmental statutes, including CERCLA, RCRA, Arizona’s WQARF and UST programs, the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, NEPA, and the Endangered Species Act.
He has represented commercial and industrial entities, municipalities, electric and water utilities, private water companies, real estate developers, and individuals in judicial and administrative proceedings as well as in private transactions and negotiations.
Ronnie has also represented parties in Arizona’s Gila and Little Colorado General Stream Adjudications and the Globe Equity water adjudication in Federal District Court, and has helped clients with individual water rights and groundwater disputes.
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Arizona
- State Bar of New Mexico
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Education
- Arizona State University College of Law, J.D. (1998)
- College of William and Mary, B.A. (1985)
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Foundation Fellow
- American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
- State Bar of Arizona, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section
- State Bar of New Mexico, Natural Resources/Energy/Environmental Law Committee
Honors & Awards
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the following areas:
- Environmental Law (2011 – 2026)
- Litigation – Environmental (2016 – 2026)
- Natural Resources Law (2021 – 2026)
- Energy Law (2024 – 2026)
- Listed in Chambers USA, Arizona, Leading Lawyer in Environmental Law (2015 – 2019)
Representative Engagements
- Led successful administrative appeal of environmental permit in a complex mining case.
- Negotiated settlements with state and federal agencies regarding hazardous waste violations at industrial manufacturing facilities, recycling facilities, and landfills.
- Performed environmental compliance audits on client’s industrial facilities state-wide, negotiated settlement of liability for violations, and developed compliance management procedures.
- Negotiated settlement of Superfund liability for pesticide-contaminated agricultural property impacting tribal land.
- Led a potentially responsible party search under federal and state Superfund laws for one of the largest Superfund sites in the country.
- Assisted a water provider in obtaining replacement supplies for production wells contaminated by mining wastes.
- Negotiated settlement of liability for petroleum releases from underground storage tanks.
- Negotiated settlement of liability under the Clean Air Act for asbestos handling violations.
Publications
- USEPA Report on Navajo Nation Uranium Cleanup Issued, American Bar Association, 9 Native American Resources Committee Newsletter, No. 1 (July 2013)
- The Supreme Court Denies Review of Kivalina Global Warming Damages Claim, American Bar Association, 9 Native American Resources Committee Newsletter, No. 2 (July 2013)
- Environmental Aspects of Real Estate Transactions, The Most Commonly Asked Questions in Environmental Law, Chapter 7 (2nd ed.) (2011)
- Cleanup of Contaminated Property and Liability Under WQARF and CERCLA, The Most Commonly Asked Questions in Environmental Law, Chapter 6 (2nd ed.) (2011)
- Contributing Editor, Western Water Law and Policy Reporter (2006-2007)
- Tribal Sovereignty and its Impacts on Municipalities, Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys seminar (Mar. 21, 2002)
Community Involvement
- Arizona Forward, Central Regional Council