University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

James Holtkamp

Mr. Holtkamp is the Manager of the Global Climate Change Practice Group and the past Manager of the Environmental Compliance Group at Holland & Hart and resident in the Firm's Salt Lake City office.  He has actively represented industry and government clients in various environmental, natural resources and energy project development issues throughout the United States and overseas.  In particular, Mr. Holtkamp is extensively involved in climate change issues, including avoided deforestation sequestration in Central America; carbon credit trading in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe; corporate climate change policies in the energy sector, and development of governmental climate change programs. He has spoken and published widely on climate change in the United States, Canada and Europe.  His energy work includes serving as air quality counsel for major electric generation project developers, representation of an independent transmission developer, and work with geothermal operations.  He has been general counsel to an electrical utility system and has represented various clients in utility regulatory proceedings.  He also has extensive experience in representation of operators of uranium mines, uranium mills, and radioactive waste facilities.

Mr. Holtkamp served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (Watergate Committee) and as an attorney for the U.S. Department of the Interior before entering private practice.

Mr. Holtkamp is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Utah, where he teaches the Law of Air Pollution Control and the Law of Climate Change.  He is licensed to practice in Utah, Colorado, the Federal District Court for the District of Utah, the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

"Models Studied for Long-Term Liability Risks in CCS," 24 Natural Gas & Electricity 12 (May 2008).
Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy:  How to Create, Measure, and Verify Greenhouse Gas Offsets.  The Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University (2007).  Contributing Author.

"Dealing with Climate Change in the United States: The Non-Federal Response, " 27 Journal of Land, Resources & Environmental Law 79 (2007).

"North American Approaches to Climate Change: Greenhouse Gas Emission Control Strategies," 51 Rocky Mtn. Min. L. Inst. 2-1 (2005).

"GHG Emissions Trading, Tracking and Monitoring," 13 Environmental Liability 3 (2005).

"Coal and Air Quality: The Basics of Air Pollution Control and Emissions Trading," 47 Rocky Mtn. Min. L. Inst. 21-1 (2001).
"Emissions Trading on Local, Regional, National, and International Scales,"  2000 Mineral Law Series No. 1, 9-1 (2000).
"Environmental Laws of Mexico," 46 Mining Engineering 317 (1994).

"Emissions Trading Under the United States Clean Air Act," 6 Environmental Liability 125 (1993).

"The Scope of EPA's Inspection Authority," 5 Natural Resources & Environment 16 (Fall 1990).

"Mineral Transactions, Environmental Permits, and the Shifting of Liability for Environmental Problems upon Transfer of Mineral Interests," 35 Rocky Mtn. Min. L. Inst. 3-1 (1989).

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Advisory Board, Institute for Secure and Clean Energy at the University of Utah (2009)

Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Utah College of Law (2008)

Recipient, Executive Special Recognition Pax Natura Award (2008)
Member, Utah Renewable Energy Initiative (2007)

Member and Subgroup Co-Chair, Utah Climate Change Work Group (2006-07)

President, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (2005-06)
Member, National Board of Directors, George Washington Law Association (1999-2004)

Vice Chair, Air Quality Committee, American Bar Association (1988-90)

Chair, Energy and Natural Resources Section, Utah State Bar (1984-85)

Chair, Environmental Law Committee, Utah State Bar (1980-81)
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (1989-present)

Legal Elite, Utah Business Magazine (2008)

EDUCATION

George Washington University   J.D. 1975
- cum laude
- Articles Editor, The George Washington Law Review (1974-75)

Brigham Young University   B.A. 1972
- With Honors

Scholarship Highlights

Legal Writing