Zach C. Miller

Zach Miller has practiced environmental, water, and natural resources law since 1980. He has broad experience before numerous state and federal agencies in disputes over, and permitting for, oil and gas operations, public land uses, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, water rights, water quality, air quality, hazardous substances, wetlands, pesticides, mining, mineral processing, ski areas, power projects, and related issues. He has litigated a number of complex cases in state and federal courts relating to these and other natural resources matters. Building on his government experience, Zach has dealt with various resource-related matters on Indian lands and with several tribal entities. He has handled numerous judicial and administrative enforcement and civil penalty actions concerning these areas. Zach’s practice also includes title review and complex transactional work for water rights, mineral interests, and other real property, with an emphasis on brownfield projects and environmental audits and related transactions for mineral properties and processing facilities. He has represented clients in several of the largest water rights acquisitions and change cases in Colorado history. He has also represented developers and lenders in connection with permitting and other regulatory matters for major electric generation and solar and wind energy projects.

Zach has served as an expert witness in state and federal courts on wetlands regulation and Colorado water rights matters. He has also acted as special counsel to the cities of Boulder, Loveland, Aurora, and Greeley, as well as other governmental entities in various water and environmental matters. He is a former member and chair of the Environmental Advisory Board for the City of Boulder. Zach is a member and outgoing Chair of the Advisory Council for the Getches-Wilkinson Center at CU Law School.

Prior to joining Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP in 1981, Zach served as special counsel to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and as an attorney in the Honors Program of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior, in Washington, D.C.

Zach has been listed in the Guide to the World’s Leading Environmental Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal: Environment. He is
listed in Tier 1 and named a “Leader in Their Field” in Chambers USA for Natural Resources and Environment and in The Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Water Law, Environmental Law, and Environmental Litigation. He was also named in the 5280 as a Top Lawyer in the area of Water Law. The Best Lawyers in America® named him Lawyer of the Year in Colorado in 2013, 2017, and 2019 for Environmental Law and in 2018 for Litigation –F Environmental. Zach also has an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ from Martindale-AVVO®. In 2011, he was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.