Connie Sue Martin helps Indian tribes, ports, companies of all sizes and individuals address environmental contamination and restore injured natural resources. Whether it means compelling an agency or responsible party to act, negotiating a cleanup to fit a construction timeline, litigating in state and federal court, or drafting and enforcing tribal environmental codes, Connie Sue gets the job done.

As the partner in charge of Schwabe’s Seattle Office, Connie Sue is skilled at marshaling the right resources to serve each client’s needs.

Experience

Environmental Cleanup

• Represents two port districts in ongoing cleanup at a number of sites in southwestern Washington.

• Represents a private marine construction company in Oregon in addressing natural resource damage claims asserted by federal and state agencies and several Indian tribes.

• Represents a lumber company in an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency of naturally occurring asbestos.

Environmental Litigation

• Represents the Port of Vancouver in an adjudication by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council of an energy project proposed by a port tenant.

• Defended a small business owner in an administrative penalty action brought by the Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Water Act violations based on industrial stormwater discharges without a permit.

• Represented a former service station owner in a Model Toxics Control Act cost recovery action.

• Represented a private marina owner in a Clean Water Act citizen suit against a municipality for unpermitted discharges of stormwater and pollutants into the marina’s moorage basin.

• Defended a commercial shellfish harvester against shellfish trespass claims brought by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

• Represented citizens’ groups in an action before the Pollution Control Hearings Board challenging the permits issued to a regional commuter railroad and its compliance with the State Environmental Policy Act.

• Represented the Colville Confederated Tribes in Pakootas v. Teck Cominco Metals Ltd., the first enforcement of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) against a responsible party located outside the United States for impacts within the United States.

Indian Law

• Represents the Nooksack Indian Tribe in the U.S. v. Washington treaty rights litigation.

• Represents the Nooksack Tribe’s corporate entity in its casino loan workout litigation, Outsource Services Management v. Nooksack Business Corporation.

• Represents three California tribes in their efforts to be restored to federal recognition.

• Drafted a tribal Superfund code and cleanup standards for the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians; assists the Band in its ongoing implementation and enforcement of the code.

Memberships

• American Bar Association, Section of Environment, ‎Energy and Resources, including the Native American Resources, Superfund & Natural Resources Damages Litigation, and the Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committees, Member
• Washington ‎State Bar, Environmental and Land Use and Indian Law Sections
• King County Bar ‎Association, Environmental Section, Member
• Oregon State Bar Association, Environment ‎and Natural Resources and Indian Law Sections, Member
• Hawaii State Bar Association, Environment, Energy, and Resources ‎Section‎ and Hawaii Women Lawyers, Member
• Associated General Contractors, Washington Chapter (Environmental Committee)
• Northwest Indian Bar Association, Member

Awards

• Washington Super Lawyers, Environmental Law (2016-2018)
• Washington Super Lawyers, Native American Law (2016)
• Martindale-Hubbell^®, AV Preeminent, Peer Review Rated
• Best Lawyers in America: Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation, Native American Law, Natural Resources Law (2010-2019)
• Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Native American Law (2015)
• ‎Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, Top Lawyer, Environmental Law (2010-present)
• ‎‎Washington Law and Politics Super Lawyers, Environmental Law (2011-2014)

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

Publications

Managing an Environmental Emergency on Tribal Lands
6th Tribal Land Staff National Conference, March 2016

Tribal Zoning and Land Use Regulation as a Tool for Environmental Protection
Environmental & Land Use Law, WSBA Environmental and Land Use Section, August 2015

Tribal Land Use and Environmental Protection
WSBA Environmental and Land Use Mid-Year Conference, May 2015

The Intersection of Ports, Tribes & the Environment
Washington Public Ports Association Spring Meeting, May 2015

Chapter Editor and Author, “Year in Review, Environmental Transactions & Brownfields Chapter,” Environmental Insurance, American Bar Association, Section of Energy, Environment & Natural Resources
2014, 2015

Superfund and Clean Water Act Update
19th Annual Inter-Tribal Environmental Council Meeting, July 2014

Maximizing Tribal Participation Under CERCLA
18th Annual Inter-Tribal Environmental Council Meeting, July 2013

Protecting Culturally Important Species in Indian Country
18th Annual Inter-Tribal Environmental Council Meeting, July 2013

Community Activities

• Confluence, Board of Directors (2011-present), Executive Committee, Secretary (2014-present)
• John T. Williams Memorial Totem Pole Project, Founder and Board Member (2011-2016)
• Friends of Pierce County, Former Board Member, President (2013-2014)

Services