Atty. Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg
Dalva "Dal" L. Moellenberg practices environmental and natural resources law concentrating on water quality and water rights, Superfund, hazardous waste, mining law and mined land reclamation, toxic substances matters, including compliance counseling, permitting, legislation, rulemaking and litigation.
Profile Summary
About Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg at a glance
Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg is a litigation and environmental attorney based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, practicing at Gallagher & Kennedy PA. Admitted to practice in New Mexico, State Bar of New Mexico and Arizona, State Bar of Arizona. Educated at Arizona State University (J.D., 1985) and University of Colorado at Boulder (B.A., 1982). Recognitions include Lawyer of the Year — Natural Resources Law (Santa Fe) (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Environmental Law (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Environmental (2026). Serands clients in Santa Fe, NM and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
Mr. Moellenberg's recent experience includes:
- Representing business groups and chairing a subcommittee that drafted Arizona legislation (S.B. 1452, 1997) that amended the state Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund site cleanup program, which transformed the state Superfund program from a "joint and several liability" model to a "proportionate share" liability model with a new out-of-court liability allocation process. He played a similar role in drafting Arizona Voluntary Remediation Program Legislation (S.B. 1454, 2000). Mr. Moellenberg is also a primary industry negotiator and drafter of major water quality, solid and hazardous waste, and mining legislation in Arizona and New Mexico.
- Representing major mining clients in Arizona and New Mexico in obtaining water quality (Clean Water Act and groundwater protection) permits and mined land reclamation permits for industrial operations, mine expansions and new mines.
- Representing major industrial and mining clients at numerous federal and state Superfund sites and other cleanup sites involving negotiation and compliance with Consent Decrees, cleanup orders under CERCLA, RCRA, and the Clean Water Act, and voluntary cleanup actions.
- Representing industry and mining clients in environmental rulemakings in Arizona and New Mexico, including the Arizona Unified Water Quality Permits Rules, the Arizona Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund Rules, the Arizona Mined Land Reclamation Rules, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission Rules (groundwater protection permits, surface water quality standards, and "abatement rules"), and the New Mexico Mining Act Rules. Mr. Moellenberg also participates in the preparation of comments and lobbying on federal environmental rules.
- Part of the Legal Consulting Team for the Mining Sector Development and Environmental Project for the Ghana Minerals Commission during 2001 and prepared draft environmental regulations for mining in Ghana.
Practice Areas Explained
Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in New Mexico →
Environmental attorneys for regulatory compliance, contamination, land use, and natural resource law.
Dalva L. "Dal" Moellenberg is one of 56,434 environmental attorneys indexed nationally. Browse environmental attorneys in New Mexico →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in New Mexico
Practicing law in New Mexico. Legal matters in New Mexico are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Santa Fe are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate New Mexico state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in New Mexico brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in New Mexico courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional New Mexico attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Santa Fe or all attorneys in New Mexico.
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