Allison Smith

/My focus

I work with companies to navigate the voluntary and compliance carbon markets and comply with environmental regulations, particularly related to GHGs and air quality.

I handle carbon offtake transactions and negotiate carbon project development and marketing agreements and contracts with registry and rating providers. I’ve led Scope 3 carbon intervention and inset agreements, including co-claim agreements along product value chains, and innovative agreements to lower emissions at the supplier level.

I help clients comply with evolving sustainability and climate disclosure laws, including California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, climate-related financial risk reporting, and required carbon offset disclosures, as well as the California cap-and-invest program. I’ve worked with clients across industries to navigate compliance and capitalize on opportunities in the carbon sector, including companies in the forest products, conservation, marine services, utility, oil and gas, and consumer product manufacturing sectors.

When compliance issues arise, I defend companies in administrative enforcement actions involving air quality, GHG, and energy efficiency regulations, brought by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California Energy Commission (CEC), and California air districts, including the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, South Coast Air Quality Management District.

I have advised on a broad range of energy and infrastructure projects, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and gas‑fired power facilities, as well as residential, commercial, and industrial developments. I lead environmental due diligence for the financing, sale, and acquisition of projects across the US, providing strategic advice on environmental risks and negotiating favorable terms. I’ve guided developers through permitting and environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act and defended projects in litigation.

/Looking ahead

Companies across the US and globally have set voluntary carbon-reduction or carbon-neutrality targets in recent years. Now, these companies are working to achieve those goals, creating carbon interventions, evaluating the quality of carbon offsets, and reporting on emissions and climate risk mitigation. In parallel, companies are navigating climate-related regulations in multiple states in the US and in the EU and must ensure their efforts can withstand concerns about greenwashing.