Michael Vermaak
Partner | Johannesburg
Contact
T: +27 11 669 9328
E: michael.vermaak@bowmanslaw.com
Overview
Michael Vermaak is a partner in our Johannesburg office Corporate Department and is part of the Public Law and Regulatory team.
He has specialised in environmental law and environmental regulatory issues for nearly 20 years and also advises on broader regulatory issues in a range of other sectors. His particular areas of focus include:
- environmental and other regulatory advice in a transactional and project finance context;
- representing clients in administrative appeals and enforcement actions by environmental authorities;
- pollution and contamination liabilities, transactions involving transfer of ownership or an interest in polluted or contaminated land, mitigation of risks and liabilities as well as contractual risk allocation;
- advising clients on all aspects of environmental permitting, licensing and authorisation requirements associated with new and existing operations; and
- providing environmental regulatory advice to lenders and developers under the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
Michael’s clients include national and international mining and industrial companies, financial institutions, power utilities, private companies, as well as environmental and engineering consultancies. He has extensive experience working closely with environmental assessment practitioners, environmental scientists and with engineers on impact and process related regulatory issues, liabilities and risks.
Michael’s expertise has been recognised by Chambers Global (Environmental Law). The organisation has also ranked Bowmans Environmental Practice in Band 1 for the past three consecutive years (2015 to 2017).
Experience
South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme: Rounds 2, 3 and 4: Onshore Wind, Small Hydro, Landfill Gas, Biomass, Solar PV and CSP, including the following projects that have reached financial close:
- Gouda Wind Farm (140MW)
- Amakhala Wind Farm (140MW)
- Hopefield Wind Farm (65 MW)
- Sishen Solar Project (81 MW)
- Loeriesfontein 2 (140MW), Khobab (140MW) and Noupoort Wind Projects (80MW)
- Stortemelk Small Hydro Project (4MW)
Other recent matters that Michael has been involved with include:
- Advising on environmental and regulatory issues in numerous M&A and other commercial transactions handled by Bowmans across various sectors, including in the mining, industrial, infrastructure, agriculture and consumer goods sectors.
- Advising on pollution and contaminated land issues and liabilities at a number of sites around South Africa.
- Advising on potential director and shareholder environmental liabilities.
- Successfully making representations to the environmental authorities with respect to an environmental pre-compliance notice relating to activities of another party on a property owned by a client.
- Advising in a transactional context on the potential risks and liabilities as well as the rectification process relating to historical non-compliance and assisting in the authority interaction to address the issues.
Awards
- Chambers and Partners consistently ranked Michael in Band 2 for his expertise in Environmental Law for eight consecutive years (2017-2024) and in Band 3 in 2016.
‘Michael Vermaak has got a very broad and solid regulatory knowledge.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
- B.Sc (Hons) and LLB degrees from Rhodes University.
INSIGHTS
South Africa: Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change Law Round-Up, 2023
South Africa: Public consultation under way on proposed regulations for implementing and enforcing priority area Air Quality Management Plans
Revised minimum emission standards provide relief for major sulphur dioxide (SO2) emitters
COVID-19: Certain environmental process and other timeframes extended, South Africa
Liability for harm caused by GHG emissions
Time for industry to comment and prepare for pending regulations to phase out the use of persistent organic pollutants
Environmental Law Seminar, May 2017: Environmental Enforcement and Risks – Targets, Trends and Tips
Overview
Michael Vermaak is a partner in our Johannesburg office Corporate Department and is part of the Public Law and Regulatory team.
He has specialised in environmental law and environmental regulatory issues for nearly 20 years and also advises on broader regulatory issues in a range of other sectors. His particular areas of focus include:
- environmental and other regulatory advice in a transactional and project finance context;
- representing clients in administrative appeals and enforcement actions by environmental authorities;
- pollution and contamination liabilities, transactions involving transfer of ownership or an interest in polluted or contaminated land, mitigation of risks and liabilities as well as contractual risk allocation;
- advising clients on all aspects of environmental permitting, licensing and authorisation requirements associated with new and existing operations; and
- providing environmental regulatory advice to lenders and developers under the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
Michael’s clients include national and international mining and industrial companies, financial institutions, power utilities, private companies, as well as environmental and engineering consultancies. He has extensive experience working closely with environmental assessment practitioners, environmental scientists and with engineers on impact and process related regulatory issues, liabilities and risks.
Michael’s expertise has been recognised by Chambers Global (Environmental Law). The organisation has also ranked Bowmans Environmental Practice in Band 1 for the past three consecutive years (2015 to 2017).
Experience
South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme: Rounds 2, 3 and 4: Onshore Wind, Small Hydro, Landfill Gas, Biomass, Solar PV and CSP, including the following projects that have reached financial close:
- Gouda Wind Farm (140MW)
- Amakhala Wind Farm (140MW)
- Hopefield Wind Farm (65 MW)
- Sishen Solar Project (81 MW)
- Loeriesfontein 2 (140MW), Khobab (140MW) and Noupoort Wind Projects (80MW)
- Stortemelk Small Hydro Project (4MW)
Other recent matters that Michael has been involved with include:
- Advising on environmental and regulatory issues in numerous M&A and other commercial transactions handled by Bowmans across various sectors, including in the mining, industrial, infrastructure, agriculture and consumer goods sectors.
- Advising on pollution and contaminated land issues and liabilities at a number of sites around South Africa.
- Advising on potential director and shareholder environmental liabilities.
- Successfully making representations to the environmental authorities with respect to an environmental pre-compliance notice relating to activities of another party on a property owned by a client.
- Advising in a transactional context on the potential risks and liabilities as well as the rectification process relating to historical non-compliance and assisting in the authority interaction to address the issues.
Awards
- Chambers and Partners consistently ranked Michael in Band 2 for his expertise in Environmental Law for eight consecutive years (2017-2024) and in Band 3 in 2016.
‘Michael Vermaak has got a very broad and solid regulatory knowledge.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2024
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