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Valerie Lege Mayhall works at the intersection between industry and the natural environment, two areas that she believes don’t always have to be in conflict.

“It’s always been a serious question for people who practice environmental law or work in environmental consulting: Are they pro-environment, or are they pro-industry?” she says. “I feel that you can be both.”

Mayhall’s work, helping utilities and petrochemical clients get project permits, is crucial for industry and the environment, she says. The companies can’t operate without a permit, and the permits help ensure that emissions are kept within an acceptable range.

“I don’t feel that it’s black and white. I don’t think the utility companies are inherently evil. They provide a service that we all need,” Mayhall says. “What we do as consultants is make sure they can provide those services without harming the environment.”

Of course, there’s often opposition to a given project. An environmental group, for example, will raise questions in a public forum, and it’s up to Mayhall’s side to take those concerns seriously, address them on a scientific basis and show the public and the relevant agency that the project is sound and the environment will be protected.

“I honestly don’t think I ever had that environmental activist bone in my body. I never had that perspective,” she says. “I love science, and I wanted to figure out a way that I could use it and be productive and benefit society.”

But environmentalist or not, Mayhall is acutely aware of the growing public concern over the use of fossil fuels. Meanwhile, industry says those fuels are needed to provide relatively cheap power. Hopefully, Shaw can be part of resolving that dilemma and bring production of alternative fuels to Louisiana in the process, she says.

“I think one challenge for everyone is to

figure out a fuel source that would be long-term and sustainable, and that would in essence please everyone,” she says. “That’s the big challenge.”

Age: 39

What is Baton Rouge’s biggest strength in the quest to attract young professionals?

“Post-Katrina, we’ve grown so much that we have a lot more to offer in the way of recreation, shopping, restaurants. I just feel like we’ve become such a vibrant community of late.”

Click here for the complete list of 2008's Forty Under 40 winners.