STEPHEN E. TEMMEL

Highlights

• District Counsel, Los Angeles District, Army Corps of Engineers (1974-2003)
• Military Service (Jan 1969-Jan 1972) – Captain (Jan 1970)
• Graduate of New York Law School (Jun 1968)
• Graduate of Clarkson University – B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Jun 1965)
• Admitted to Practice Law – New York (Dec 1968) and California (Nov 1972)
• Federal Service with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Jan 1969-Jan-2003)
  

Biography

Stephen E. Temmel joined Dawson & Associates as a Senior Advisor in January 2004.  He has 34 years of legal service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers retiring as District Counsel for the Los Angeles District, a position he held for some 30 of his 34 years of public service.  Prior thereto he was an Assistant District Counsel in the Chicago and San Francisco Districts.  His responsibility as the District Counsel to twelve District Commanders covered large parts of a multi-state area including southern and portions of central California, all of Arizona, and southern Nevada.  His unique longevity as District Counsel for one of the largest Corps Districts has provided extensive hands on field level experience with a multitude of complex contentious legal, policy and political issues arising out of the Water Resources Development and Department of the Army Regulatory Programs as well as the Civil Works and Military Construction Programs.    

Mr. Temmel has considerable expertise on a broad range of environmental and regulatory issues, especially those involving NEPA compliance and §404 wetlands permitting and in dealing with federal, state and local agencies on a broad range of environmental issues pertaining to the Corps of Engineers.  He has provided legal advice on the preparation of hundreds of environmental assessments and §404(b)(1) analyses, including many environmental impact statements. 

Mr. Temmel has extensive trial attorney experience in construction law before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and federal litigation experience as counsel assisting the Department of Justice in Environmental, Regulatory and Construction Dispute matters.  Recognizing that litigation often causes unacceptable costs to both the Government and the public, Mr. Temmel championed Dispute Avoidance and Alternative Dispute Resolution during his public service.

Other Achievements

• Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service (Jun 2004)

• Induction into the Gallery of Distinguished Civilian Employees (Oct 2003)

• Corps of Engineers Chief Counsel’s First Spirit of Arrowhead Award presented by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (Oct 1986)
  

• The Army Commendation Medal (Dec 1971)