Michele Knorr

Michele is a nationally recognized leader on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and agrochemical regulation, as well as the intersection of FIFRA with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). Her practice at Crowell focuses on crop protection product registration, regulatory counseling, and litigation support arising under FIFRA, the ESA, the CWA, and related federal environmental statutes. She assists crop protection manufacturers, agricultural technology companies, and other regulated entities to navigate the full lifecycle of pesticide regulation, from registration strategy and compliance to complex litigation.

She served as lead EPA attorney working with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in defending several significant lawsuits involving FIFRA and the ESA, including the largest FIFRA/ESA lawsuit against EPA for failure to comply with ESA Section 7, a multi-year case that was ultimately resolved through a novel and complex settlement agreement. She also served as lead EPA FIFRA  attorney assisting DOJ in defending EPA in a FIFRA-CWA case involving pesticide discharges to navigable waters, which resulted in the development of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Pesticide General Permit.

Michele advised high-level EPA officials on a broad array of issues related to the interpretation and implementation of several federal environmental statutes and regulations, as well as Presidential Executive Orders and Memoranda. She counseled the Office of Enforcement and Compliance and EPA regional offices on complex enforcement cases related to pesticide product registrations. Her work extended to environmental justice matters, including serving as a co-chair for the development of two EPA Equity Action Plans as directed by Presidential Executive Orders. She also provided counsel to the Energy Star program under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Michele received two Excellence awards from EPA's Office of General Counsel — the highest distinction given by that office. She also received an Excellence award from DOJ for her contributions to a significant Endangered Species case that resulted in a novel and complex settlement. She has received numerous awards from EPA headquarters and regional offices.

Prior to her career at the EPA, Michele built a technical background in environmental science, working as a scientist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, an environmental specialist for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and a laboratory chemist.