Environmental Defense and EPA Enforcement
How We Handle EPA Enforcement Cases
When the federal government pursues a company for environmental violations, it is not a standard legal problem. The EPA has investigative resources, statutory authority, and the ability to pursue civil and criminal liability at the same time. Companies and executives on the receiving end need attorneys who have done this work before. Hassan + Cables defends businesses and individuals in EPA civil enforcement actions and federal environmental criminal matters nationwide.
Our attorneys in this practice are among the few attorneys nationwide whose practice is concentrated in EPA civil enforcement defense and criminal environmental law. Referrals come from counsel in Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and along the East Coast. This is a national practice based in Boulder, Colorado.
How We Got Here
​Our entry into this practice began in 2007, when we began working directly with a diesel emissions company during the regulatory transition requiring new emissions controls on vehicles. We learned the industry from the inside, the science, the compliance framework, and the people who shaped the rules. When the Volkswagen scandal broke in 2015 and EPA enforcement escalated across the aftermarket industry, we already knew every major player. That is the kind of knowledge clients are hiring when they call Hassan + Cables.
​Clean Air Act Defense
The Clean Air Act is at the center of most EPA enforcement actions involving the automotive aftermarket and diesel performance industries. We defend clients facing civil enforcement and federal criminal charges arising from aftermarket emissions control modifications, defeat device sales and installation, tampering allegations, and California Air Resources Board enforcement matters.
Representative Matters
-
Negotiated a civil EPA Clean Air Act enforcement liability of approximately $20 million down to $1.1 million
-
Maintained an active docket of approximately ten simultaneous EPA civil enforcement matters
-
Defended clients in federal criminal proceedings arising from aftermarket emissions control modifications and defeat device allegations
-
Pursued presidential pardons and post-conviction relief for clients convicted of emissions offenses under enforcement standards the DOJ has since abandoned
Federal Criminal Defense
​When EPA enforcement becomes criminal, the stakes are as high as they get. Federal environmental criminal charges can mean substantial prison time, significant fines, and consequences that follow business owners permanently. We defend clients in federal criminal proceedings, working with co-counsel specialists, including former DOJ attorneys, when necessary.
Post-Conviction Relief
​When the DOJ announced in 2025 that it would no longer enforce aftermarket emissions control removal as a federal crime, we began pursuing post-conviction relief, including presidential pardons for clients previously convicted under that statute. The argument is straightforward: if the government no longer treats something as a crime, those convicted under a different enforcement standard deserve a path to relief.
White Collar Federal Defense
​Beyond environmental law, Hassan + Cables handles federal white collar criminal defense for business owners and executives facing government scrutiny, including healthcare fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy charges, and administrative enforcement actions. We co-counsel with specialists when a matter requires additional depth.
Other Environmental Statutes
​Our environmental defense practice extends beyond the Clean Air Act to include Clean Water Act matters, endangered species violations, importation offenses, and other federal environmental enforcement proceedings.
If You Have Received an EPA Request for Information
A Request for Information is often the first step in a civil enforcement action. Many companies respond on their own, not realizing that how they respond can shape everything that follows.
If you have received an EPA request, notice of violation, or enforcement inquiry, contact Hassan + Cables before responding. Early decisions often have a significant impact on the course of the matter.
