Kerry Shapiro chairs the Firm’s Natural Resources and Mining Group and co-chairs its Construction and Building Materials Group. He also leads the Firm’s Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department in the San Francisco office. He has represented the mining, construction and building materials industries on mineral extraction and land development projects for over 25 years, providing legal services on government, land use, environment, and natural resources matters, at federal, state, and local levels. Kerry has extensive experience working with SMARA, CEQA, the Mining Law of 1872, NEPA, FLPMA, the Mineral Materials Act, both Federal and California Endangered Species Acts, and the Clean Water Act, in relation to various entitlements processes, public land transactions, administrative appeals, and related litigation.
Kerry's experience has included securing land use approvals for the largest federally-authorized sand and gravel project in the United States, and obtaining the only mining vested rights confirmation ever issued from the State Mining and Geology Board for the largest aggregate deposit in California. Kerry also has successfully represented mining companies before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and state courts of appeals on mining, CEQA and federal endangered species matters, including published decisions on leading edge Endangered Species Act and CEQA issues.
Kerry currently serves as General Counsel to the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA), and chairs the Association's Legal Action Committee. He received CalCIMA's 2011 Spirit of the Industry Award, for participation in negotiations on California SB 108 legislation relating to idle mines. He has given presentations to numerous industry, government and professional groups including U.S. Department of the Interior, and American Association of Professional Landmen.