Our environmental law team has over 50 years of broad experience in managing and resolving environmental, land use, and energy law issues for our clients. We counsel clients on federal and state environmental laws and policies for wastewater discharges, air emissions, and the management of solid and hazardous waste.
We are experienced negotiators and litigators and have resolved multiple petroleum spill claims and cost recovery claims under federal and state law. We assist clients in their efforts to comply with the myriad of federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations concerning filing and reporting obligations, asbestos handling and management, wetlands, and PCBs.
For clients large and small we:
- Secure workable permits, including with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission;
- Guide environmental due diligence;
- Manage SEQRA, zoning, eminent domain, and other land use issues;
- Negotiate contracts that eliminate, manage or minimize environmental issues related to the purchase or sale of real property and business concerns;
- Navigate Brownfield requirements, site remediation, and re-development;
- Negotiate host community solar project contracts;
- Conduct internal investigations and audits, training, and the implementation of corporate compliance policies;
- Negotiate power purchase agreements;
- Prosecute and defend Superfund and oil spill cost recovery actions; and
- Negotiate, settle and if necessary, litigate government enforcement actions and criminal prosecutions by federal and state authorities;
- Guide initiatives to secure alternative and renewable energy and implement climate change and sustainability programs.
Our experience includes:
- Successfully defending Onondaga County against multi-million-dollar Honeywell International cost recovery claim;
- Conducting environmental due diligence and the resolution of post-closing regulatory matters related to the purchase of one of the largest precious metals recycling facilities in New York;
- Advising and directing the clean-up and redevelopment of a 100+ acre industrial facility for commercial use;
- Negotiating a payment for site clean-up costs from a major oil company after underground tanks were discovered buried on a property;
- Assisting the beneficiaries of an estate to successfully navigate environmental issues;
- Negotiating the settlement of a multimillion-dollar oil spill claim by successfully arguing that apportioned liability should apply instead of the commonly applied theory of joint and several liabilities;
- Securing the dismissal of felony environmental criminal charges; guiding a municipality through environmental review and permitting of a utility-scale solar energy facility; and
- Re-writing a City Zoning Code that had not been overhauled for several decades.