Senior Member

William T. Gorton III

Bill Gorton is a Senior Member of Stites & Harbison in the Environmental, Energy & Sustainability Service Group. He is national counsel to numerous clients on environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He represents numerous solar energy developers along with industrial scale energy storage battery companies in siting, property rights, zoning and permitting and compliance issues. Bill has represented clients in the waste management sector including acquisitions, due diligence, compliance and contracting. He has been counsel in the development of numerous independent gas, solar and waste-coal power plants. He has been national counsel to numerous surety companies regarding over $4 billion in financial guarantees on bankrupt and/or defaulting mining operations, hazardous waste facilities and solid waste disposal facilities throughout the United States. He has been primary environmental counsel in the development of interstate pipeline associated with major natural gas resource development. He also counsels on large natural resource and energy, waste industry, business or corporate transactions, and project development assessing and addressing environmental regulatory issues and accomplishing clients’ goals. He advises healthcare clients in permitting, acquisitions and environmental compliance matters. Bill served as an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Kentucky’s Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation program for twelve years.

Before embarking on a law career, Mr. Gorton managed many projects as an environmental consultant on projects throughout the U.S.

Recent Assignments

Lead counsel coordinating the development of industrial scale solar energy facilities in numerous states, addressing solar leases and easements, local, state and federal permitting and approvals, economic incentives and EPC.

Counsel to major healthcare corporations on acquisitions and environmental compliance obligations.

Counsel to various clients dealing with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (“NORM”) disposal to Landfill business development to Landfill operations and acquisition.

Lead counsel to numerous national surety companies in developing and advocating the surety industry positions in the bankruptcies of Peabody Coal Company, Arch Coal Company, and Alpha Natural Resources across the United States.

Counsel in development of and property rights acquisition for interstate natural gas liquids pipeline from Marcellus and Utica shale resource areas including state and federal requirements, environmental analysis associated with permitting, construction and operation.

Bar Admissions

Kentucky

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Memberships

American Bar Association

Kentucky Bar Association

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Energy and Mineral Law Foundation

Community Involvement

Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission

Kentucky Rails to Trails Council, Inc., Pro-Bono Legal Counsel

Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Trustee

Education

J.D., with distinction,

1988

University of Kentucky College of Law

Org / Honor

Order of the Coif

Journal of Mineral Law and Policy, Articles Editor, 1987-88

U.S. Department of the Interior, University of Kentucky Institute of Mining and Minerals Law Fellowship, 1987-88

Natural Resources Section, Kentucky Bar Association, Law Student Division, Chairman

AmJur Book Award – Property

B.S., Man-Environment Relations, emphasis in Natural Systems,

1976

Pennsylvania State University

More Than Stites & Harbison

Prior to attending law school, Bill was the manager of the Kentucky office of Skelly & Loy Engineers-Consultants and had managed natural resource development and environmental remediation projects throughout the United States. At Skelly & Loy, he developed the mine land reclamation programs under the Title IV of the Surface Mine, Control and Reclamation Act for Alaska and Virginia. He also managed technical projects for the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Bureau of Mines, U.S. EPA, Appalachian Regional Commission and numerous state agency and private sector clients. He was appointed by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to The Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeways Commission and has also advised the Kentucky Rails to Trails Council, Inc. on a pro bono basis, formed as part of the nationwide movement to develop abandoned rail beds into trails for recreation use. Bill is Assistant Professor/Adjunct at the University of Kentucky in the Natural Resource and Environmental Science Program teaching Environmental Law and Regulation. He is also a Trustee to the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. An avid cyclist, Bill has been a spin instructor at the Lexington YMCA. In 2010, Bill joined a group of amateur cyclists who participated in six stages of the Tour de France.

Accolades

Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated

Best Lawyers in America®, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Mining Law and Natural Resources Law (2007-25)

Best Lawyers in America®, Lexington Area Lawyer of the Year for Environmental Law (2022, 2024)

ChambersUSA, “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business,” Environment, Natural Resources & Utilities: Environment (2012-25)

Benchmark Litigation magazine, Litigation Star (2015-25)

International Law Office and Lexology, Client Choice Award for Excellence in Client Service (2015)

Testimonials

. . . acts for clients in the energy, healthcare and waste management sectors on environmental regulatory compliance. He handles environmental support for corporate transactions and project development.

Chambers Commentary (USA)

. . . noted for his work in land and water resources issues, and is also regularly called upon to advise on coal industry matters.

Chambers Commentary (USA)

. . . thorough knowledge of the regulatory and administrative landscape.

Best Lawyers

. . . knowledge and experience . . . irreplaceable assets to our company.

Best Lawyers

. . . busy technical lawyer . . .

Chambers USA

Contact Resources

William Gorton's LinkedIn Profile