William J. Nelson

Meet Bill

Bill Nelson is an attorney in the Environmental and Energy Strategies Practice Group. Bill’s practice focuses on assisting commercial, industrial and municipal clients on a wide range of environmental and energy issues, including complex remediation matters, interfacing with state and federal environmental agencies, redevelopment of Brownfield properties, permitting and enforcement defense matters, and renewable energy development projects.

Prior to joining Godfrey & Kahn, Bill was an attorney with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He served as primary legal counsel to the Remediation and Redevelopment Program, including legal aspects pertaining to the WDNR’s development and implementation of policies and regulations pertaining to Per- and Polyfluoroalkylated Substances (PFAS), contaminated sediment cleanups and pertaining to the administration of the Wisconsin Voluntary Liability Exemption Program. 

Bill provides a unique perspective as a former regulator assigned to WDNR Environmental Management programs as PFAS were first addressed in Wisconsin before the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 5. Bill has extensive experience with the development of environmental regulations, including Wisconsin Administrative Rules and advising DNR leadership regarding implications of proposed statutory changes. Bill frequently collaborated with EPA programs on shared matters relating to complex water, land and sediment issues.

Since joining Godfrey & Kahn, Bill has provided valuable insight to industrial, municipal, tribal and non-profit clients seeking clarity on agency decision-making, guidance, policy questions and effective solutions and strategies preferred by environmental agencies. Bill is the chairperson of the NR 700 Subgroup of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group. The NR 700 Subgroup advises the agency on implementation of administrative rules and policies concerning remedial action sites. Bill also an elected board member of the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, a non-profit land conservancy that provides environmental education opportunities in Dane County.