Jeff B. Kray
Jeff Kray is a partner at Marten Law Group whose practice focuses on water resources and environmental, civil, and appellate litigation. He represents public and private clients with an emphasis on cases involving regulatory compliance and civil liability. Jeff represents clients in actions involving sites in Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Missouri, and California.
Before joining Marten Law Group, Jeff practiced for more than 10 years in the Washington Attorney General’s Office as an Assistant Attorney General. He represented the Washington State Departments of Ecology, Retirement Systems, and Labor & Industries, the Washington State Investment Board, and the Washington State Legislature.
While representing the state, Jeff addressed diverse operational and regulatory issues, including numerous suits involving the Administrative Procedures Act. He litigated cases involving water quality, air quality, spills, and shoreline issues.
Over the course of his career, Jeff has managed or participated in numerous complex matters, involving multiple parties on issues ranging from site remediation and development to water quality advice and defense. Representative cases include:
- Acting as lead defense counsel before the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit for the former operator of a Superfund Site in litigation against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for cost recovery claims under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
- Representing the Washington Department of Ecology in the defense of its Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 permit to the Port of Seattle to construct the Third Runway at SeaTac International Airport.
- Acting as lead counsel defending the Washington Department of Ecology against a contract suit regarding motor vehicle emissions testing.
- Assisting a lender with its foreclosure of loans involving properties with Endangered Species Act (ESA) issues.
- Advising a prominent Washington homebuilder on maintaining compliance with state and federal stormwater pollution control laws and revising their real estate contracts to appropriately allocate stormwater pollution control risk.
Jeff has appeared in cases in the United States Eighth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals, federal district courts, the Washington State Courts of Appeals, and the Washington State Supreme Court. In addition, he has co-written successful briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court.