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Mr. Kvistad is a Shareholder in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Water & Public Lands and the Natural Resources groups. Based in the firm’s Santa Barbara office, Mr. Kvistad’s practice focuses on the representation of public and private clients relating to water, recycled water, wastewater and associated environmental issues. In the water arena, Mr. Kvistad represents clients with respect to: groundwater and surface water rights; recycled water planning, distribution and use; storm water permitting issues; wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal; groundwater storage; water exchanges; and, water transfers. He has extensive experience in negotiating a wide variety of water related disputes, cooperative arrangements and settlements. Mr. Kvistad also serves as general counsel to the South Tahoe Public Utility District and the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District, Improvement District No. 1. Mr. Kvistad’s water practice routinely includes representation of clients with respect to environmental issues involving the National Environmental Quality Act (NEPA), the California Environmental Protection Act (CEQA), the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as other federal and state environmental rules and regulations. He has represented clients with respect to groundwater contamination involving such contaminates as MTBE and PCE, a CERCLA cost recovery action brought by the United States for contamination emanating from a landfill and an administrative proceeding relating to water rights releases and impacts to downstream public trust resources and endangered species (steelhead) under the ESA. In connection with his water practice, Mr. Kvistad also represents public agency clients on matters concerning open meeting compliance, conflicts of interest, public records disclosures, construction contracting and risk management, and litigation planning and management. He regularly represents public agencies with respect to disputes, joint powers authorities, business transactions and the development of strategic planning to maximize opportunities while minimizing risks. He is skilled in negotiating and preparing a wide variety of agreements routinely encountered by public agencies. | 