Kristin B. Peer (916) 446-4254 x107 kbp@bkslawfirm.com
OverviewKristin currently serves as Managing Principal of BKS Law Firm, PC. Kristin has nearly two decades of experience in water and environmental law. She advises clients on water rights issues, including petitions and applications to the State Water Board, resolving protests and representing clients in hearings before the State Water Board’s Administrative Hearings Office. Kristin also advises on issues related to the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Fish and Game Code, the Clean Water Act, the state and federal Endangered Species Acts and state legislative policy proposals. Prior to joining BKS, Kristin served as Deputy Secretary and Special Counsel for Water Policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency, where she advised the CalEPA Secretary and Governor's Office on all aspects of water law and policy, acted as liaison between CalEPA, the Governor's Office and high-level executives at other state, federal and local agencies, tribal governments and environmental organizations, participated in development of legislative proposals, managed high-stakes litigation, and developed legislative and budget proposals to advance Administration priorities. Prior to her tenure at CalEPA, Kristin was a litigator both in private practice and with the California Attorney General’s Office, where she defended and prosecuted environmental cases. Beyond her client representation, Kristin volunteers her time to serve on behalf of the state of California as an Executive Board Member on the Board of Directors for the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC). In this capacity, she assists in overseeing the KRRC’s implementation of the largest restoration project in United States history after the successful removal of four aging hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. Kristin's academic credentials include a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and bachelor’s degrees in business-economics and Spanish from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she graduated with High Honors and was awarded Phi Beta Kappa.Practice AreasWater Rights Water Transfers Groundwater Management & SGMA Compliance State Water Board Proceedings & Reporting Regional Water Quality Control Boards Water Quality Permitting and Compliance Regulatory and Policy Strategy and AdvocacyGroups and AssociationsKlamath River Renewal Corporation, Board of Directors, Member The State Bar of California, Environmental Law Section, Mentor Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), Legislative CommitteeEducationJ.D., University of California, Los Angeles B.A., University of California, Santa BarbaraRepresentative MattersSonoma County Water Agency, Negotiations with regional partners regarding the planned decommissioning of PG&E’s Potter Valley Project City of Santa Barbara, Charles E. Meyer Desalination Facility, Contract Compliance and Permitting J.R. Simplot Company, Water Quality Permitting and Compliance Sacramento Regional Water Authority, Regulatory Compliance and Advocacy Yuba County Water Agency, Yuba Accord Extension permitting Buena Vista Water Storage District, Kern River Water Right Applications, State Water Board Administrative Hearing Office North Gualala Water Company, Water Right Change Petitions, State Water Board Administrative Hearing OfficePublications and PresentationsKRISTIN PEER AND STACY GILLESPIE, Safeguarding Water Quality in Federal Licensing Decisions: California’s Response to Recent Constraints on Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Authority, 13 Golden Gate U. Envitl. L. J. 1 (2021)