Melissa S. Brown

Since 2014, Melissa S. Brown has developed a robust environmental law practice in which she assists businesses on a wide variety of environmental issues. Clients regularly rely on her to provide counsel on complying with federal and Illinois environmental statutes and regulations.

Ms. Brown is passionate about representing businesses in a variety of environmental areas, although she is particularly passionate about air issues. She has an unmatched ability to analyze complex air issues and provide solutions to achieve compliance. In addition to air compliance counseling and enforcement defense, clients come to her for assistance in all phases of air permitting, including:

• preparing and reviewing permit applications
• navigating the environmental justice process
• negotiating permit conditions with the agency
• reviewing draft permits and providing comments
• appealing permit decisions

She also understands that, due to a myriad of factors, compliance with environmental requirements can sometimes be difficult to achieve. Meeting and working with regulators to find a reasonable solution is often the first step. Ms. Brown and her environmental practice group colleagues are conveniently located in Springfield, Illinois, where the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Department of Natural Resources are headquartered.

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In addition, businesses sometimes seek regulatory relief or want to participate in the rulemaking process. She has represented clients in front of the Illinois Pollution Control Board in numerous air, water, and land rulemakings as well as obtaining regulatory relief such as variances, adjusted standards, site-specific rules, alternative effluent limitations, and time-limited water quality standards.

When noncompliance does occur, she represents clients in the administrative enforcement process at Illinois EPA and USEPA. She also defends clients when litigation is filed in court or with the Pollution Control Board.

Prior to joining HeplerBroom, Ms. Brown was an associate with the environmental law firm Hodge, Dwyer, & Driver. (In 2016, Hodge, Dwyer, & Driver merged with HeplerBroom.)

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Education

• DePaul University College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2014
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, B.A. in Political Science, 2010

LAW SCHOOL HONORS/INVOLVEMENT

• DePaul Journal of Art, Technology, and Intellectual Property
• Environmental Law Society
• Dean’s Certificate of Pro Bono Service
• Dean’s List

Admissions & Affiliations

• Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois

Honors & Awards

• Best Lawyers' list of “Ones to Watch” (2021-2025)

News

Events & Speaking Engagements

• “Brown to Speak at Air Issues Seminar,” Chemical Industry Council of Illinois Air Issues Seminar (Springfield IL, 2024).
• “Responding to Clean Air Act Section 114 Requests,” Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association’s Environmental, Health, & Safety meeting (Springfield IL, 2023).
• Moderator, Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group Land and Water Conference (Springfield IL, 2023).
• “Unpacking West Virginia and Sackett II: Key Impacts for Environmental Practitioners,” Illinois State Bar Association’s 21^st Annual Environmental Law Conference (Chicago, 2023). (Co-presenter)
• “Environmental Hot Topics,” Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association Meeting (2022).

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• “Illinois Environmental Regulatory Updates,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs Committee (2022).
• “Environmental Violations and Enforcement,” and “Illinois EPA Bureau of Land Update,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education webinar (2021). (Co-presenter)
• “Environmental Enforcement: Avoid if Possible, Navigate if Necessary,” Environmental Basics Conference sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Springfield IL, 2019). (Co-presenter)
• “Coal Ash Update: What It Is, Where It Is, and What To Do About It,” Illinois State Bar Association’s 18th Annual Environmental Law Conference (Chicago, 2019). (Co-presenter)

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Blog Posts

Publications

• “The Impact of West Virginia v. EPA on Illinois,” The Illinois Manufacturer (Fourth Quarter 2022).
• "U.S. Supreme Court Limits USEPA Authority in West Virginia v. EPA," Environmental Law Newsletter, Illinois State Bar Association (2022). (Co-author)
• "PFAS Investigations at Manufacturing Facilities and Industrial Sites in Illinois,” The Illinois Manufacturer (Fourth Quarter 2021). (Co-author)
• “Update on the Respirable Crystalline Silica General Industry and Maritime Standard,” Energy and Environment Blog, Illinois Manufacturers’’ Association (July 2018).
• “U.S. EPA Amends the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule,” The Illinois Manufacturer (Winter 2018). (Co-author)
• “How Will OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Rule Affect Construction and General Industry Employers?” The Illinois Manufacturer (Spring 2017). (Co-author)
• “How Will OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Rule Affect Construction and General Industry Employers?” The Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, FDCC Blog (January 2017). (Co-author)
• Case Summary, In Re Beineke, 690 F.3d 1344 (Fed. Cir. 2012), 23 DePaul J. Art, Tech. & Intell. Prop. L., 511 (2013).