Hadassah (Dessa) Reimer

Of Counsel

Dessa guides clients through complex layers of federal, state, tribal, and local environmental and cultural permitting requirements to advance their projects on federal and tribal lands.

She also defends project permits in state and federal court. Dessa has assisted in the successful development of renewable, oil and gas, coal, pipeline, transmission, mineral materials, and water projects throughout the West.

Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Dessa completed a one-year judicial clerkship with the Honorable William F. Downes (Ret.) of the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming.

Client Results

Representative Experience

Advised clients throughout the environmental NEPA review and ESA consultation processes for oil and gas, mining, and other projects, including meeting with and negotiating with local, state, tribal, and federal regulators, drafting sections of environmental documents, and submitting official comments on documents.
Assisted clients in negotiating and closing mineral and land lease agreements with Native American tribal governments, including conducting tribal due diligence and working with the individual Indian landowners and Bureau of Indian Affairs on approval processes.
Successfully defended numerous large oil and gas projects, coal mining permits, and other projects before the Interior Board of Land Appeals and in federal court on NEPA, FLPMA, and other procedural claims.
Advised renewable energy companies on NEPA and ESA requirements for operations on public lands.
Advised clients and prepared comments on draft land use planning and other administrative rules.

Experience

Environmental Permitting and Litigation

Defend project authorizations in litigation and appeals before the Interior Board of Land Appeals and the federal courts
Advise clients regarding NEPA, ESA, and NHPA compliance for major project development
Mineral Leasing Act and Federal Land Policy and Management Act leasing and right-of-way authorizations
Represent client interests throughout Federal land use planning processes

American Indian Law

Negotiate mineral leases, land leases, and rights-of-way for energy, natural resource, and utility projects in Indian Country, including addressing issues of sovereign immunity, Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO), allottee consent, and Bureau of Indian Affairs approval processes
Represent tribes on a variety of issues, including Indian Education and Self Determination Act (Public Law 638) contract negotiations

Local Land Use

Navigate land use regulations and approval processes, including defense of projects and development permits in state court

Media Mentions

July 9, 2024
Dessa Reimer Quoted in Inside EPA's "Judge Appears Skeptical Of Mine's Bid For Deadline In NEPA Test Suit" Inside EPA
July 1, 2024
Dessa Reimer Quoted in WyoFile's "Wyoming pols celebrate Chevron's fall. It might not be the win they think" WyoFile
March 12, 2024
Dessa Reimer Quoted in Law360's "Sluggish Policy Could Chill Geothermal Boom, Advocates Say" Law360
November 13, 2023
Hadassah Reimer Quoted in Law360's "9th Circ. Judge Doubts Jurisdiction In Montana Mine Case" Law360
03/26/2021
Environmental Law and Climate Change Team Quoted in Inside EPA on Impacts of Updated SCC Mandate

News

03/01/2021
Holland & Hart Lawyers Serve as Editor and Authors of ABA's Environmental Aspects of Real Estate and Commercial Transactions Guide

Publications

November 14, 2024
Marin Audubon Should Not Upend the NEPA Process NEPA Update
October 2024
Navigating the New NEPA Landscape: An Overview of the 2024 Phase 2 Regulations and Recent Statutory Changes The Center for Energy Regulation and Policy Analysis (CERPA) at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, Co-Author
September 20, 2021
Sovereign States Pitted Against Sovereign Tribes in Recent Federal District Court Decision Holland & Hart News Update
03/22/2021
Assessing Climate Costs in Policy Decisions Holland & Hart News Update
Chapter 27, 2021
Cultural Resources
Environmental Aspects of Real Estate and Commercial Transactions, Fifth Edition, American Bar Association
08/19/2020
Answers to Key Questions about the Revised CEQ NEPA Regulations Holland & Hart News Update
07/17/2020
Council on Environmental Quality Issues Final NEPA Rule Holland & Hart News Update

Speaking Engagements and Events

October 13, 2023
NEPA FRA Amendments and Regulatory Changes
University of Wyoming's School of Energy Resources 2023 Landscape Discussion on Energy Law & Policy in the Rockies
March 16-17, 2023
Special Institute on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Program Co-Chair, The Foundation for Natural Resources Energy Law, Washington, D.C.
September 2020
The New NEPA Regulations: Long Overdue Update or Radical Sea Change
RMMLF Webinar, Co-Presenter

Professional and Civic Affiliations

Federal Bar Association, Wyoming Chapter, President, 2013-2022
American Bar Association
- Native American Resource Committee, Vice-Chair, 2018-2021
- Public Lands Committee, Co-Chair, 2016-2018; Vice-Chair, 2018-2021
The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law
- Secretary, 2021-2022
- Director, 2017-2019
- Trustee, 2014-2016
- Annual Institute, Public Lands Chair, 2013
- Administrative Law Special Institute Co-Chair, 2018-2019
- NEPA Special Institute Committee Co-Chair, 2017, 2023
- Budget Committee, 2023-2026
Jackson Hole Stingrays Swim Team, Board President, 2017-present

Recognition

Mountain States Super Lawyers® Rising Stars, Environmental, 2018

Wildlife and Protected Species Environmental Environmental Litigation Climate Change Environmental Health and Safety Federal Lands Permitting Environmental Transactions

Energy and Resources Mining Oil and Gas Conventional Power Oil and Gas Litigation Oil and Gas Regulatory Renewable Energy and Storage

University of Wyoming College of Law
J.D., 2004

summa cum laude
Managing Editor, Wyoming Law Review

University of Wyoming
B.A., 2001

summa cum laude
Psychology Major
Minors in Sociology and Spanish
University of Wyoming Honors Program

Wyoming

Practice Areas

Industries

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