Henry J. Handzel, Jr.

For more than 30 years Hank’s focus has been on environmental law, administrative law and litigation. He has extensive experience in air permitting, water permitting, mine permitting, superfund proceedings, air enforcement matters, site remediation, solid and hazardous wastes, as well as air and water pollution. He has successfully appealed permit denials and defended agency enforcement actions. A proponent of preventative law, Hank provides counsel to help clients comply with environmental laws.

During his career he has challenged laws and regulations and he has helped to shape them. Hank was involved in the development of major revisions to Wisconsin's air pollution statutes and rules adopted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The revisions included changes to state statutes and regulations to implement the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. He also successfully challenged the NOx SIP Call levied by the EPA on Wisconsin.

Prior to entering private practice, Hank worked for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Division of Water Pollution Control as a manager of the Enforcement Preparatory Unit in the Enforcement Services Section. He then worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an advisor for its Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in Philadelphia where he counseled on the implementation of environmental protection laws. He represented the EPA in administrative hearings and assisted the Department of Justice with environmental law cases at both trial and appellate levels and was appointed as a special assistant United States attorney.