Chris Bowers - Atlanta, GA

Christopher J. (Chris) Bowers practices environmental law and civil litigation, with over two decades of experience tackling some of the most complex, high stakes pollution disputes in the Southeastern United States. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in environmental, product liability, and toxic tort litigation, involving cumulative amounts in controversy exceeding $1 Billion. No matter the client or the nature of the dispute, Chris brings the same level of dedication, compassion, and tenacity to secure successful outcomes for those he represents.

Chris is a recognized expert in the field of environmental law, and is a subject matter expert in environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, civil enforcement, and soil, groundwater, surface water and drinking water contamination involving Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, or “Forever Chemicals”) as well as coal combustion residuals (or coal ash), among other topics. Success in these and similar pollution cases requires a deep understanding of technical subjects such as chemistry, hydrology, geology, toxicology, and environmental engineering, as well as the profound impact that environmental pollution and toxic exposure can have on the property and the lives that are often upended by the wrongful acts of others.

Chris was lead counsel for plaintiff in the first two Federal environmental civil enforcement lawsuits in Georgia history involving PFAS contamination that have culminated in an enforceable federal court order (or Consent Decree). In one of these cases, the court order required an offer of free testing of a community’s residential groundwater drinking water supply and alternate drinking water remedies for qualified residents in the heart of the nation’s carpet producing-region, among other remedies. Together with his client, a grassroots environmental organization, Chris uncovered the true extent of this PFAS contamination that had been largely overlooked by agencies and local government alike, culminating in substantial remedies for the community’s drinking water and wastewater treatment operations.

Chris was lead counsel in a civil enforcement lawsuit in Federal District Court against a coal-fired utility in North Carolina, brought on behalf of citizen environmental and social advocacy groups arising from contamination from the improper disposal of coal ash, culminating in a 2020 settlement in parallel proceedings requiring the excavation of nearly 12 million tons of this industrial waste to lined landfill disposal or beneficial reuse. Previously, Chris served with colleagues as trial and appellate counsel for plaintiff in the first federal civil enforcement case to reach trial in the nation involving the disposal of coal ash at a retired coal-fired power plant in Virginia that was polluting the adjacent river with arsenic. Following enactment of a state law following that trial, the entirety of the unlined coal ash impoundments in the state were required to be excavated to lined landfill disposal.

Prior to joining Evans Bowers, Chris was a Senior Attorney in the Georgia office of the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), one of the nation’s premier non-profit environmental law firms. Chris previously served as Counsel in the Environmental and Litigation practice group at an180-lawyer Atlanta-based full-service law firm.

Representative Matters:

• Lead counsel for plaintiff in civil environmental suit against municipal wastewater authority enforcing the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) arising from contamination of surface water, soil and groundwater by PFAS, culminating in Consent Decree imposing broad remedial relief, including (1) comprehensive modernization of wastewater regulatory program to regulate PFAS from the carpet industry; and (2) a comprehensive residential drinking water well survey, and offers of alternative drinking water remedies for qualified homes, among other remedies. Coosa River Basin Initiative v. City of Calhoun, Georgia, Civ. No. 4:24-cv-00068-WMR (N.D. Ga. 2024)
• Lead counsel for plaintiff in civil suit against textile manufacturer enforcing the Clean Water Act and RCRA arising from contamination of waterway by PFAS, culminating in Consent Decree permanently enjoining producer from using these industrial chemicals in manufacturing operations, and imposing interim pretreatment requirements to remove PFAS before discharge to the public sewer. Coosa River Basin Initiative v. Trion, Georgia and Mount Vernon Mills, Inc., Civ. No. 4:23-cv-00088 WMR (N.D. Ga. 2023)
• Lead counsel for plaintiffs in environmental enforcement suit against coal-fired electric power utility arising from groundwater and surface water contamination from improper storage of coal ash, culminating in parallel state court settlement whereby nearly 12 million tons of coal ash in unlined 270-acre surface impoundment excavated to lined solid waste landfills. Appalachian Voices, et al. v. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, No. 1:17-cv-1097 LCB (M.D.N.C. 2020)
• Lead counsel for environmental organization in administrative challenge to Clean Water Act permit issued to steam electric coal fired power plant, resulting in invalidation of permit and remand back to agency, to impose interim best technology available to minimize harms to fish and aquatic life inflicted by plant’s cooling water intake structure via impingement and entrainment. Coosa River Basin Initiative et al. v. Ga DNR, Nos. OSAH-1825406-BNR-WQC-57-Howells, OSAH-1826761-BNR-WQC-57-Howells (July 6, 2018)
• Trial, appellate counsel for plaintiff in Clean Water Act citizen enforcement suit involving water pollution arising from the storage of coal ash, resulting in finding that Defendant violated the Clean Water Act for discharging arsenic from waste storage areas to nearby river; state law later required clean up of entire coal ash pond at the subject site and similar sites statewide. Sierra Club v. Va. Elec. & Power Co., 247 F. Supp.3d 753 (E.D. Va. 2017) aff’d in part, rev’d in part, Sierra Club v. Va. Elec. & Power Co., Nos. 17-1895 & 17-1952, 2018 WL 4343513 (4th Cir. Sept. 12, 2018)
• Represented long haul trucker in defense of soil and groundwater contamination cost recovery claims, resulting in exclusion of opponent’s subsurface fate & transport expert opinions, and dismissal of claims by trial court on summary judgment, Barrett Props. LLC v. CCL Enterprises et al., No. 08-CI-1833-A, 2011 WL 12847160 (Ga. Super. Ct. May 13, 2011)
• Represented floor sealant manufacturer in defense of chemical exposure claims, resulting in exclusion of testifying expert pulmonologist and dismissal of claims, Byous v. LM Scofield Co., No. 3:07-CV-053-JTC, 2009 WL 10664903 (N.D. Ga. Jan. 27, 2009)
• Represented county in solid waste landfill permitting dispute, prevailing on summary judgment and on appeal to the Supreme Court of Georgia, R&J Murray, LLC v. Murray County, 282 Ga. 740 (Ga. 2007)