Aileen M. Hooks

Aileen Hooks combines extensive experience in the transactional and environmental arenas to help clients navigate the environmental aspects of transactions and regulatory aspects of their operations. She negotiates and manages the environmental and facilities-related aspects of client's projects and transactions in the United States and globally. In particular, Ms. Hooks has considerable experience advising clients on environmental and safety regulatory developments and issues and liability considerations affecting the full spectrum of the energy industry. She also regularly provides legal counsel to clients on environmental, health and safety regulatory, permitting and enforcement matters. Her experience includes advice concerning the regulation and management of hazardous, toxic and radioactive materials, substances and wastes, including RCRA and TSCA compliance. She provides strategic advice to clients on matters before state and federal agencies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Railroad Commission of Texas and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She has worked on transactions, projects, and agreements involving power plants, solar, wind and geothermal projects, ethanol plants, upstream oil and gas assets, refineries, pipelines and terminals, as well as the chemical, paper and semiconductor industries. Additionally, her experience includes fuel regulation, pipeline safety, site and vessel decommissioning and contaminated site issues.

Ms. Hooks has developed extensive experience advising clients on complex and sensitive negotiations in both the environmental regulatory and transaction arenas. She helps clients understand environmental considerations and liability concerns associated with their operations and with proposed projects and transactions.

Ms. Hooks' environmental practice also encompasses sustainability and climate change issues. She is active in the United States Business Council for Sustainable Development. On a pro bono basis, she worked on the drafting and negotiation of a memorandum of understanding between the Council and the U.S. EPA on Scientific and Technical Cooperation in the Fields of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development.

• Represented commodity trading and logistics company in connection with comprehensive EPA fuel program audit
• Represented renewable fuels company in successfully securing part 79 registration for renewable fuel blendstocks
• Counseled renewable fuels company on Renewable Fuels Standard program compliance matters
• Advised renewable fuels company on contractual allocation and transfer of existing and anticipated future credits to be generated under international, federal and state low carbon fuel programs
• Participated in the development of state legislative and regulatory framework for carbon capture and storage
• Handled identification, negotiation and resolution of environmental, health, safety, facilities and service issues raised by the co-location of industrial facilities resulting from acquisitions, divestitures and multiparty ventures for energy, semiconductor and defense industry clients
• Represented oilfield services company on development of Texas legislation and regulations on disclosure obligations concerning hydraulic fracturing fluids
• Counseled potential investor in Gulf of Mexico (GOM) drilling operations on federal and state environmental liability risks
• Advised natural gas company on requirements relating to permitting, operation, and abandonment of GOM pipelines
• Represented mining company in environmental claims and liabilities in a chapter 11 bankruptcy involving multiple sites in numerous states, including the disposition of and establishment of custodial environmental trusts for owned, non-operating sites and negotiations with purchasers and multiple federal and state agencies and custodial trustees
• Represented company managing response and natural resource damage assessment activities following oil spill affecting Gulf Coast
• Advised on environmental regulatory and liability considerations affecting Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Facilities (FPSOs) operating in GOM
• Managed environmental aspects of acquisition of Eagle Ford shale properties in excess of $1 billion, including a joint development arrangement and formation of related midstream company
• Represented PRP groups at state and federal Superfund sites through all phases of Superfund process

Ranked in Chambers USA, 2015-2021

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward White, Inc.), 2005-2021

Recognized in the Who's Who Legal: Environmental, 2016-2019

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer (Thomson Reuters), 2012-2019