Rebecca J. Rentz
Counsel
Gwyn Warren
713.223.2300 x2460
Rebecca Rentz is recognized as a leading lawyer in the environmental field, with experience in the service of both government and private clients. Her leadership in the development of complex, cutting-edge environmental public policy was noted in 2007, when she was named Environmental Regulator of the Year by the Texas Association of Environmental Professionals.
Ms. Rentz advises clients on a wide variety of environmental regulatory, liability and public policy issues. Her recent experience has focused on air toxics issues, ozone control requirements under the Houston-area State Implementation Plan including associated transportation conformity requirements, and particulate emissions requirements. She also has experience defending state and federal Superfund matters, assisting clients with environmental permitting, and handling the environmental aspects of real estate and financial transactions.
From 2006 to 2008, Ms. Rentz served as the Houston Air Quality Director and Counsel to the Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), working on regulatory matters including air permitting, investigation and enforcement of regulatory entities in Harris County. As the TCEQ’s top administrator for air issues in the region, her key responsibilities included developing and overseeing strategic air quality planning, coordinating the agency’s scientific, legal and enforcement efforts with respect to the Houston area's significant air pollution challenges, and briefing elected officials on TCEQ programs and priorities.
Prior to joining TCEQ, Ms. Rentz was an associate attorney at Bracewell for five years during which time she represented clients on a wide variety of environmental issues.
In addition to her environmental law efforts, she helped to craft health policy while serving as the Policy Director for Environmental and Health Issues under Harris County Judge Robert Eckels.
Publications and Speeches
"TCEQ Releases Emissions Study for Barnett Shale - Added Regulatory Attention Expected," Environmental Law Update, January 29, 2010.
"A Survey of Current Activities by EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA)," 13th Annual Hot Air Topics Conference, Air & Waste Management Association, Houston, January 14, 2010.
"RICE MACT, Key Concerns, Potential Impact and Status of the Proposal," Presentation to Air & Waste Management Association Conference on Air Quality Impacts of Oil & Gas Production, September 17, 2009.
Co-author, "A New Enforcement Reality," Energy Lawyer, May 18, 2009.
Co-author, "New EPA Proposal to Require Nationwide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting," Environmental Law Update, March 17, 2009.
Education
J.D., Order of the Barristers, University of Houston Law Center, 2000
B.A., Economics, The University of Texas at Austin, 1993
Bar Admissions
Texas
Affiliations
Chair, Gulf Coast Chapter, Air & Waste Management Association, 2010
State Bar of Texas, Environmental Section
Noteworthy
Texas Association of Environmental Professionals, Environmental Regulator of the Year, 2007
Texas Rising Stars, 2009
Texas Super Lawyer, Environmental Attorney Rising Star, 2006 and 2008