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Peter Gould is global chair of our Environmental, Safety & Health Practice Group and managing partner of the Denver office. He works closely with federal and state regulatory agencies, Congress, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to counsel clients on matters involving administrative law, crisis management, government investigations, litigation and dispute resolution, and public policy, including working with Congress to address agency actions.
Peter advises clients in a variety of areas, including chemicals, energy, natural resources, transportation and infrastructure, environmental, and industrial health and safety. He provides the full range of legal representation, as well as regulatory and legislative counseling and developing strategy following disasters and accident investigations, including evidence and document collection. He also advises clients on media and government crisis communication plans following such events in order to help manage the impact of agency enforcement actions, as well as any civil and criminal actions that may result.
Peter’s mining and metals work spans the natural resources sector, where he represents and advises clients who produce and process silver, copper, iron ore, uranium, rare earth minerals, coal, limestone, potash, phosphate, trona, salt, bentonite and other industrial minerals, and aggregates. He was designated Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Colorado in a high-profile US Supreme Court environmental case that resulted in a successful outcome of state versus state original jurisdiction litigation.
A sampling of Peter’s agency experience includes practice before, with and opposing US Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), US Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Occupational Health Administration (OSHA), US Department of Interior (including Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), National Park Service (NPS), and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) (including Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and relevant companion state agencies, among others.
Peter also provides strategic counsel related to energy development and transportation, as well as power generation and transmission from natural gas, coal and renewable sources. He regularly advises entities doing business locally, nationally and globally and provides national representation in litigation before federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations.
During law school, Peter worked as a law clerk at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
Education
- Vermont Law School, J.D., Environmental Editor, Vermont Law Review
- Vermont Law School, M.S.E.L., cum laude
- Trinity College, B.A.
Admissions
- Colorado
Courts
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Memberships & Affiliations
- Appointed by Colorado’s Governor, Attorney General and Chief Justice to the state’s Supreme Court Nominating Commission, effective December 31, 2020 for a term expiring December 31, 2026
- Colorado Lawyers Committee – Board Member
- American Mountain Guides Association – Board Member, 2007-2012
- Appalachian Trail Conservancy – Board Nominating Committee Member, 2011-2012
- Colorado Mining Association
- Nevada Mining Association
- Colorado Bar Association
- Denver Bar Association
Clerk Experience
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. Magistrate Judge
- - Colorado District Court
Judge Daniel C. Hale
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- Recognized by Legal 500 US 2021-2024 for Environment: Litigation
- Named a Crisis Leadership Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, 2021
- Recognized as a Forty Under 40 business professional by the Denver Business Journal, 2014
- Pro Bono Partner of the Year by Squire Patton Boggs LLP, 2012
- Ranked a Rising Star by Colorado Super Lawyers, 2012-2014
- Dean’s Fellow, Vermont Law School, 2001-2002
- Panelist, “Opening Plenary: Policy, Press and Polarization,” Public-Private Partnership Conference and Expo, Dallas, TX, March 13, 2024.
- Featured Presenter, Wyoming Mining Association Annual Safety and Health Conference, September 2023.
- Co-author, “New P3 Authority Means Opportunities For Colo. Agencies”, Law360, July 2022.
- Panel Moderator, “Campus Energy Projects: Customizing P3s to Achieve Your Higher Education Institution’s Needs” Public-Private Conference and Expo, Dallas, TX, March 15, 2022.
- Speaker, “Railroad Risk Management Roundtable Series-Cybersecurity,” February 3, 2022.
- Quoted, “Rail Insurance 101,” Regulation and Restrictions section, April 15, 2021.
- Panel moderator, “2021 Outlook: Rail Industry Trends,” March 18, 2021.
- Presenter, “Recapping and Looking Ahead: Mine Safety and Health Under the Trump Administration,” Southeast Mine Safety and Health Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, November 1-3, 2017.
- Panel moderator, “MSHA: Mining through the Regulatory Changes,” American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law, OSH Law Committee Midwinter Meeting, Tucson, AZ, March 14, 2014.
- Panelist, “Current Trends in Mine Safety and Health Law,” 9th Annual Joint Western Mine Safety and Health Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 21-23, 2013.
- Panelist, “Current Trends in Mine Safety and Health Law,” 8th Annual Mine Safety & Health Conference, Reno, Nevada, October 22-24, 2012.
- Co-author, “Regulatory Compliance and the Quest for Consistency” Coal Age Magazine, November 2012.
- Presenter, “Best Practices for Document Legal Privilege Claims & Related Liability Risk Management,” National Mining Association - CORESafety Workshop, Denver, CO, June 7, 2012.
- Presenter, “Managing the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration in 2012,” Indiana Mineral Aggregates Association Winter Workshops, Indianapolis, IN, February 9, 2012.
- Speaker, “Cracking the Code: Understanding U.S. Mining Law and Using the Real Meaning of the Rules to Maximize Profit and Limit Liability,” presented to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Sandston, South Africa, August 10, 2011.
- Author, The Present and Future of U.S. Mining,” Coal Age Magazine, May 2011.
- Presenter, “Welcome to the new MSHA: What we need to do to deal with the latest enforcement philosophy,” and “Proactive Strategies for Dealing with MSHA in the Current Enforcement Environment,” Fifth Annual Professional Development Mine and Construction Safety & Health Seminar for Foremen, Supervisors, Managers & Owners, Spokane, WA, March 22, 2011.
- “Taking Inventory: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?” Aggregates Manager Magazine, May 2010.
- “Taking Inventory: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?” Coal Age Magazine, April 2010.
- “RockLaw: D-Paper D-Ciphered,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, November 2009.
- “The Continuing Evolution of the Informal Conference,” Coal Age, February 2009.
- “Achieving Alcohol and Drug Free Mines: A Better Approach,” Coal Age, October 2008.
- “Stopping Substance Abuse,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, October 2008.
- “Penalty Assessments, Good Faith, and Financial Relief,” Coal Age, June 2008.
- “The Dirty Dozen in 15 Minutes or Less,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, January 2008.
- “The MINER Act and Immediate Notification,” Coal Age, May 2007.
- “Regulatory Oversight,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, March 2007.
- Appearance, Electrical Safety in the Workplace: Expert Analyses of NFPA 70E and OSHA’s Electrical Standard (Subpart S), Denver, Colorado, Thursday, January 25, 2007.
- “Limiting Your Liability,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, July 2006.
- “The Mine Act and Liability for Knowing and Willful Violations,” Coal Age, July 2005.
- “Citations and Proposed Assessments as Perishable Goods,” Aggregates Manager Magazine, June 2005.
- Author, "Welding Fume Litigation: Status and Limiting Liability," Report to the Nevada Mining Association (January 6, 2005)
- “MSHA versus OSHA: Who’s in charge here anyway?” Aggregates Manager Magazine, November/December 2004.