Overview
Greg Munson is a shareholder with the firm and represents regulated industries in the industrial, agricultural, mining, and utility sectors in all areas of state and federal environmental law. He represents clients before Florida’s executive branch agencies, the state’s water management districts, the Division of Administrative Hearings, the Florida governor and cabinet, EPA, and the Florida Legislature.
He twice held senior positions at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Beginning in 2011, Greg was the deputy secretary for water policy and ecosystem restoration. In this capacity, he supervised the department’s activities related to Everglades restoration and the state’s water management districts. From 2004 to 2006, Greg was general counsel at DEP, and oversaw all legal matters in the department.
He also served in the private sector, as general counsel for WRScompass, now Northstar, a national company providing environmental remediation, civil construction and consulting services to commercial, federal and state clients.
Before law school, after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Greg served in the U.S. Air Force on the RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft. In that service, he deployed around the globe and flew nearly 100 operational missions, attaining the rank of Captain and serving as the aircraft’s Mission Commander.
Experience
- Associated Industries of Florida et al. v. Department of Environmental Protection, No. 16-6889RP (DOAH December 30, 2016) (represented a coalition of trade associations, including Associated Industries of Florida, in challenging and overturning a statewide pollution notification rule)
- One of the lead negotiators for Florida Governor Rick Scott’s historic $880 million water quality agreement with the federal agreement, subsequently codified at Section 373.4592, Florida Statutes
- Oversaw revisions to Florida’s consumptive use permitting rules, governing all consumptive uses of water in Florida, now codified in Chapter 62-40, Florida Administrative Code
- Chairman of the Central Florida Water Initiative Steering Committee, working with the state’s three largest water management districts, as well as representatives of the agricultural and utility sectors to address central Florida’s current and long term water supply needs
- Save Our Beaches, Inc. v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 27 So.3d 48 (1st DCA, 2006), rev’d by Walton County v. Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc., 998 So.3d (Fla. 2008), aff’d by 560 U.S. 702 (2010)
- United States v. Williams, No. 04-20299 (S.D. Fla., Aug. 20, 2004), rev’d by 444 F.3d 1286 (11th Cir. 2006), rev’d by 553 U.S. 285 (2008)
Honors
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2018-22
- Florida Trend, "Legal Elite," 2016
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Energy Regulatory Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Tallahassee, 2021
- Administrative/Regulatory Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice, Environmental Law, Water Law, 2016-25
- Chambers & Partners, "Leaders in Their Field," Environment, 2016-24
- Member of Gunster's environmental law practice ranked "Band 1" by Chambers USA, 2017-21
- Order of the Coif
News & Insights
- “Florida Legislative and Regulatory Update," speaker, FAWQC Annual Conference, June 2023
- "Florida MS4 and NPDES Updates," 36th annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2022
- "Florida business community: Water issues to watch in 2019," co-author, Daily Business Review, March 27, 2019
- "Implementing the Florida Land and Water Conservation Amendment," 30th annual Environmental Permitting School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2016
- "New EPA Regulation to Redefine 'Waters of the U.S.'," 30th annual Environmental Permitting School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2016
- "Risk Management for Environmental Consultants," 30th annual Environmental Permitting School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2016
- "Risk Management for Environmental Consultants," BNA Webinar, August 2015
- "Florida Will Go With The Flow on EPA Waters Of The U.S. Rule," Law360, July 24, 2015
- "Risk Management for Environmental Consultants," Bloomberg BNA, June 12, 2015
- "Amendment One, A Debate," Center Right Coalition Meeting, March 2015
- "Making Florida's Water Future Bright," Florida Earth Foundation, Ag Module 2015, NWFWMD Edition
- "Waters of the United States," Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, 2015
- "Amendment One," Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, 2015
- "Waters of the United States," American Groundwater Trust Annual Conference, 2015
- "Issues Forum: Addressing Critical Water Challenges," Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Annual Convention, 2015
- "Water Regulatory Update," Associated Industries of Florida Water Forum, 2015
- "Water, Land, and the Florida Legislature," Florida Chamber of Commerce, 2015 Future of Florida Forum
- "Defining the Waters of the United States," Livescience.com, April 17, 2014
- "North Florida Water Challenges," Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, 2014
- "Waters of the United States," Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, 2014
- "Amendment One," Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, 2014
- "Impact of EPA's Proposed Waters of the U.S. Rule on Florida," Associated Industries of Florida Water Forum, 2014
- "Alternative Water Supply Solutions, A Glimpse into the Future of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Florida," American Water Works Association, Florida Section, Annual Conference 2014
- "What’s on Tap?" Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Summer School, 2013
- "Everglades Restoration," Florida Bar Environmental Law and Land Use Section Conference, 2013
- Keynote, Water Reuse Seminar for Elected Officials, 2013
- "Consumptive Use Permitting," Third Annual Florida Water Forum, 2012
