Les Oakes joined King & Spalding's Environmental Practice Group in 1986 following a career of over eleven years as an environmental engineer with the Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (EPD). At EPD, Mr. Oakes conducted compliance inspections, wrote permits and participated in agency enforcement proceedings. He worked in the air, hazardous waste and water branches. This work provided valuable experience and insight into complex regulatory issues and agency decision making. Chambers USA selected Mr. Oakes as a leading environmental lawyer in Georgia.

Mr. Oakes' environmental law experience includes:

• Negotiated first RCRA corrective action permit issued by Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
  
  
• Negotiated RCRA permits and corrective action plans in the following states: Nevada, Idaho, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and in Puerto Rico.

• Filed the first appeal of Title V permit in Georgia.
  
  
• Negotiated withdrawal without penalties of a $1 million claim brought against chemical manufacturer for alleged air permit violations.
  
  
• Successfully defended a PSD permit for the first coal-fired power plant to be built in Georgia in more than 25 years.
  
  
• Advising a second coal-fired power plant project in Georgia.
  
  
• Advises a chemical manufacturer located in Georgia on PSD and NSPS issues.
  
  
• Advises a chemical manufacturer in Alabama on PSD and NSPS issues.

• Negotiated the first water permit variance issued in Georgia recognizing increased discharge limits based on study of bioavailability of metal.
  
  
• Negotiated the first Georgia variable flow oxygen injection permit which permitted discharge levels below minimum federal and state dissolved oxygen standards.
  
  
• Handled water issues in Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida.
  
  
• Advised clients on TMDL issues.

• Negotiated one of first prospective purchaser agreements for company to buy part of old mining facility without being subject to claims for the cost of cleanup of contamination from previous owners.
  
  
• Successfully delisted 4 sites from the Georgia Hazardous Site Inventory.
  
  
• Handled superfund sites in California, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

• Litigated Title V permit before Georgia Administrative Law Judge.
  
  
• Led the defense of a 21-day administrative hearing of a PSD permit for the first new coal-fired power plant in Georgia.
  
  
• Provided environmental advice and strategy for litigation in Ecuador involving claim that oil company violated applicable environmental laws.
  
  
• Advised oil company client in multi-district MTBE litigations.
  
  
• Advised clients on environmental claims in litigation in Texas, Georgia and Louisiana.
  
  
• Advised client on environmental issues involved in criminal proceeding and negotiated favorable resolution.

• Conducted audits of numerous facilities - all media.
  
  
• Developed and implemented audit programs for several clients.
  
  
• Led a team of lawyers in a focused internal investigation of a client’s Clean Air Act reporting practices.

• Advised buyers, sellers and lenders on all aspects of environmental law in transactions including assessments of environmental claims and potential exposure.
  
  
• Negotiated provisions to address environmental issues in complex real estate, corporate and bankruptcy transactions.