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Eugene E. "Gene"
Smary

  • Of Counsel
esmary@wnj.com
Grand Rapids
T 616.752.2129
F 616.222.2129

My admin

Gene Smary is engaged exclusively in the practice of environmental and resources law. He counsels clients on environmental compliance, due diligence associated with real property and corporate transactions, mediation of disputes, contaminated site remediation and redevelopment, metallic mineral mining and permitting, and power plant siting and permitting. He also has experience in legislative and regulatory policy matters, as well as cross-border environmental and infrastructure matters.

industries

practices

  • Represented large and small governments, statewide trade associations and corporations in a variety of sectors — including chemical, automotive, construction, aggregate mining, metallic mining, mineral refining, office furniture, food products, oil and gas and leather tanning — on environmental issues and strategic policy guidance.
  • Represented foreign governmental proponent on United States legal issues relating to a proposed new international bridge between Ontario and Michigan.
  • Represented large multinational resources company in the permitting of the first new underground “greenfield” mine in Michigan (and the United States) in many decades, and in the successful defense of the subsequent legal challenges.
  • Represented a large ru
  • Represented large and small governments, statewide trade associations and corporations in a variety of sectors — including chemical, automotive, construction, aggregate mining, metallic mining, mineral refining, office furniture, food products, oil and gas and leather tanning — on environmental issues and strategic policy guidance.
  • Represented foreign governmental proponent on United States legal issues relating to a proposed new international bridge between Ontario and Michigan.
  • Represented large multinational resources company in the permitting of the first new underground “greenfield” mine in Michigan (and the United States) in many decades, and in the successful defense of the subsequent legal challenges.
  • Represented a large rural electrical cooperative and coordinated the successful legal permitting strategy for a proposed new “clean coal” power plant.
  • Assisted in advising on significant environmental and resources legislation development, including:
    • Michigan’s Non-Ferrous Metallic Mineral Mining Law and its implementing rules.
    • Michigan’s Environmental Audit Privilege and Immunity Law.
    • Michigan’s Environmental Remediation and Brownfield Redevelopment Law and its implementing rules.
    • Michigan’s Water Withdrawal Law.
  • “The Keystone Pipeline Decision – U.S. and Canadian Perspectives,” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources webinar, December 11, 2015
  • “Combustion: Energy, Resources and Environmental Issues Igniting International Law,” Canadian Council on International Law 43rd Annual Conference, November 13-15, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: United States Perspectives and Developments,” 26th Annual CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 6-7, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation and Challenges in the United States,” United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) in Association with the University of Edinburgh, June 20
  • “The Keystone Pipeline Decision – U.S. and Canadian Perspectives,” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources webinar, December 11, 2015
  • “Combustion: Energy, Resources and Environmental Issues Igniting International Law,” Canadian Council on International Law 43rd Annual Conference, November 13-15, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: United States Perspectives and Developments,” 26th Annual CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 6-7, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation and Challenges in the United States,” United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) in Association with the University of Edinburgh, June 20-22, 2014, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • “Cross-Border Update–Has Anything Changed Since February 2013?,” Insight/ALM 11th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 12, 2014
  • “Reading Tea Leaves and Other Tall Tales:  US Politics and Keystone XL,” 25th Annual Meeting of CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 7, 2013, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects in Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute, July 18-20, 2013, Spokane, Washington
  • “Reading Tea Leaves and Other Tall Tales: U.S. Politics and Keystone XL,” TD Securities Energy Conference, July 9-10, 2013, Calgary, Alberta
  • “The US Election Results – Will Demand Be Impacted?,” Insight/ALM 10th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 5-6, 2013, Calgary, Alberta
  • “U.S. Laws/Events That Could Impact Demand,” Insight/ALM 9th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 14-15, 2012, Calgary, Alberta
  • “The Convergence of Mining Law and Environmental Law,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation/International Bar Association, International Mining and Oil & Gas Law, Development, and Investment Conference, April 4-6, 2011, Rio de Janeiro
  • “Comparison Overview of CERCLA and the EU Environmental Liability Directive,” International Bar Association Annual Conference, October 8, 2009, Madrid, Spain
  • Frequent lecturer and panel mediator on a variety of environmental and resources issues to civic, academic, governmental and professional organizations in the United States, Canada and other regions of the world
  • Coauthor, “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation, and Challenges in the United States,” Environmental Law and Management, 2014
  • Coauthor, “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects In Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation in the Proceedings of the 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (2013)
  • Coauthor, “United States Regulatory Framework,” The Law of Climate Change in Canada, Canada Law Book, 2010, edited by D. Mahony
  • Coeditor, Michigan Environmental Law Deskbook published by the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan in 2010, and co-author of the chapter on environmental remediation
  • Coauthor, “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation, and Challenges in the United States,” Environmental Law and Management, 2014
  • Coauthor, “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects In Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation in the Proceedings of the 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (2013)
  • Coauthor, “United States Regulatory Framework,” The Law of Climate Change in Canada, Canada Law Book, 2010, edited by D. Mahony
  • Coeditor, Michigan Environmental Law Deskbook published by the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan in 2010, and co-author of the chapter on environmental remediation
  • Coauthor, “Michigan’s New Non-Ferrous Metallic Mineral Mining Law,” Michigan Environmental Law Journal, 2006
  • Coauthor, “Environmental Privilege and Immunity Law–The Michigan Experience,” Michigan Environmental Law Journal 1998
  • Coauthor, “Brownfields Redevelopment,” published in 1996, 1997 and 1998 editions of Wiley Environmental Law Update
Image for Eugene “Gene” E. Smary

Eugene E. "Gene"
Smary

  • Of Counsel
esmary@wnj.com
Grand Rapids
T 616.752.2129
F 616.222.2129

My admin

Biography|
Credentials

Gene Smary is engaged exclusively in the practice of environmental and resources law. He counsels clients on environmental compliance, due diligence associated with real property and corporate transactions, mediation of disputes, contaminated site remediation and redevelopment, metallic mineral mining and permitting, and power plant siting and permitting. He also has experience in legislative and regulatory policy matters, as well as cross-border environmental and infrastructure matters.

industries

practices

  • “The Keystone Pipeline Decision – U.S. and Canadian Perspectives,” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources webinar, December 11, 2015
  • “Combustion: Energy, Resources and Environmental Issues Igniting International Law,” Canadian Council on International Law 43rd Annual Conference, November 13-15, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: United States Perspectives and Developments,” 26th Annual CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 6-7, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation and Challenges in the United States,” United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) in Association with the University of Edinburgh, June 20
  • “The Keystone Pipeline Decision – U.S. and Canadian Perspectives,” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources webinar, December 11, 2015
  • “Combustion: Energy, Resources and Environmental Issues Igniting International Law,” Canadian Council on International Law 43rd Annual Conference, November 13-15, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: United States Perspectives and Developments,” 26th Annual CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 6-7, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation and Challenges in the United States,” United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) in Association with the University of Edinburgh, June 20-22, 2014, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • “Cross-Border Update–Has Anything Changed Since February 2013?,” Insight/ALM 11th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 12, 2014
  • “Reading Tea Leaves and Other Tall Tales:  US Politics and Keystone XL,” 25th Annual Meeting of CBA NEERLS – DOJ Meeting, November 7, 2013, Ottawa, Ontario
  • “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects in Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute, July 18-20, 2013, Spokane, Washington
  • “Reading Tea Leaves and Other Tall Tales: U.S. Politics and Keystone XL,” TD Securities Energy Conference, July 9-10, 2013, Calgary, Alberta
  • “The US Election Results – Will Demand Be Impacted?,” Insight/ALM 10th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 5-6, 2013, Calgary, Alberta
  • “U.S. Laws/Events That Could Impact Demand,” Insight/ALM 9th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit, February 14-15, 2012, Calgary, Alberta
  • “The Convergence of Mining Law and Environmental Law,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation/International Bar Association, International Mining and Oil & Gas Law, Development, and Investment Conference, April 4-6, 2011, Rio de Janeiro
  • “Comparison Overview of CERCLA and the EU Environmental Liability Directive,” International Bar Association Annual Conference, October 8, 2009, Madrid, Spain
  • Frequent lecturer and panel mediator on a variety of environmental and resources issues to civic, academic, governmental and professional organizations in the United States, Canada and other regions of the world
  • Coauthor, “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation, and Challenges in the United States,” Environmental Law and Management, 2014
  • Coauthor, “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects In Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation in the Proceedings of the 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (2013)
  • Coauthor, “United States Regulatory Framework,” The Law of Climate Change in Canada, Canada Law Book, 2010, edited by D. Mahony
  • Coeditor, Michigan Environmental Law Deskbook published by the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan in 2010, and co-author of the chapter on environmental remediation
  • Coauthor, “Hydraulic Fracturing: Growth, Regulation, and Challenges in the United States,” Environmental Law and Management, 2014
  • Coauthor, “Managing Obstacles to New Mining Projects In Regions Impacted by Past Mining Operations,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation in the Proceedings of the 59th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (2013)
  • Coauthor, “United States Regulatory Framework,” The Law of Climate Change in Canada, Canada Law Book, 2010, edited by D. Mahony
  • Coeditor, Michigan Environmental Law Deskbook published by the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan in 2010, and co-author of the chapter on environmental remediation
  • Coauthor, “Michigan’s New Non-Ferrous Metallic Mineral Mining Law,” Michigan Environmental Law Journal, 2006
  • Coauthor, “Environmental Privilege and Immunity Law–The Michigan Experience,” Michigan Environmental Law Journal 1998
  • Coauthor, “Brownfields Redevelopment,” published in 1996, 1997 and 1998 editions of Wiley Environmental Law Update