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Steven Vuyovich

Of Counsel

222 South Main Street, Suite 2200, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
P 801.799.5966
OVERVIEW

Steve has the legal and practical experience that is necessary to provide workable solutions to his clients' challenges. He counsels a diverse range of clients in environmental, energy, and natural resources law, with an emphasis on water law.

Water Rights Advisor: Steve helps clients resolve complex water rights issues so that they can achieve their business goals. He counsels a variety of clients on evaluating, buying, selling, changing, protecting, and transferring water rights.

Guidance on Natural Resource Matters: Steve advises clients on matters related to acquisitions, divestitures, and mergers involving various mining and oil and gas properties. He represents clients in administrative proceedings before the Utah Division of Water Rights, the Idaho Department of Water Resources, and the Wyoming Board of Control, as well as in court proceedings in state and federal courts.

As a ranch owner and former operator of a commercial cattle operation in eastern Oregon, he has a hands-on understanding of the critical land and water issues that are similar to those faced by many of his clients throughout the West.

EXPERIENCE

Experience

Water Law

A wide variety of clients engage Steve for guidance and assistance with legal issues involving agricultural, commercial, industrial, domestic, and municipal water rights:

  • Water rights
  • Water supply development and protection
  • Water quality issues
  • Environmental compliance
Renewable Energy Law

Steve assists clients in all aspects of renewable energy projects, from inception to completion:

  • Project development
  • Transactions
  • Compliance permitting
CLIENT RESULTS

Client Results

Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources

  • Assisted an aggregate mining company in the due diligence, acquisition, and permitting of multiple sand and gravel operations in Utah and Wyoming.

  • Represented mining companies in evaluating and acquiring water rights for potash mining operations in Utah.

  • Helped a resort owner and operator to acquire, perfect, and protect water rights for a mountain resort and ski area in Utah.

  • Represented numerous real estate developers in acquiring, permitting, and protecting water rights for future golf course and commercial and residential developments in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.

  • Assisted an electric utility company in acquiring and permitting water rights for gas-fired electric generating plants in Utah.

  • Defended an electric utility company and numerous duck clubs in court appeals of administrative decisions of the State Engineer in Utah.

  • Helped negotiate and settle a complex dispute between numerous undivided land and water rights owners and partitioned the individual interests between the undivided owners in Utah.

  • Represented a cattle rancher in acquiring a ranch and associated water rights for irrigation and livestock watering in Idaho and Wyoming.

  • Assisted an agricultural landowner and water user in the resolution of multiple disputes between water users in Wyoming.

  • Helped a beneficiary of deeds of trust to foreclose and acquire a ski resort in Utah and a valuable resort property in Idaho.

  • Assisted a federal insurer of bank deposits acting in its capacity as receiver to amend the existing loans of a failed bank in Utah.

  • Represented a developer in successfully changing the point of diversion and means of conveyance of water rights in Wyoming.

  • Assisted a state agency in evaluating and acquiring water rights for wetlands mitigation in conjunction with the construction of a highway in Utah.

  • Helped an agricultural producer in the successful mediation of a dispute between competing water users in Utah.

  • Helped oil and gas companies acquire and permit water rights for oil and gas operations in Utah.

  • Assisted an oil shale company in the due diligence and acquisition of oil shale properties and an associated refinery in Utah.

  • Represented agricultural water users and public water suppliers in defending their water rights against potential impairment caused by a ski area and real estate developer.

  • Assisted a real estate developer in resolving complicated water and regulatory issues in connection with the sale of a large development in Utah.

PRACTICES

Practices

Water Law
Environmental and Natural Resources
NEWS AND INSIGHTS

News

EDUCATION AND ADMISSIONS

Education

University of Utah
J.D., 2001
Eastern Oregon University
B.S., 1998

Bar Admissions

Utah
Idaho
Wyoming
RECOGNITION

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America© Water Law, 2012-2020
  • Utah Business Magazine, Utah Legal Elite, Energy & Natural Resources, 2019
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

Professional and Civic Affiliations

  • Energy, Natural Resource & Environmental and Litigation sections, Utah State Bar, Member
  • Idaho State Bar, Member
  • Wyoming State Bar, Member
  • CLE Advisory Board, Utah State Bar, Member
  • Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Member
  • Utah Association of Professional Landmen, Member
  • David K. Watkiss – Sutherland II American Inn of Court, Member
DISCLAIMER

Unless you are a current client of Holland & Hart LLP, please do not send any confidential information by email. If you are not a current client and send an email to an individual at Holland & Hart LLP, you acknowledge that we have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of any information you submit to us, unless we have already agreed to represent you or we later agree to do so. Thus, we may represent a party adverse to you, even if the information you submit to us could be used against you in a matter, and even if you submitted it in a good faith effort to retain us.

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