We help clients address the full array of legal and technical issues associated with contaminated properties, complex environmental cleanups, and waste management under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), and other federal and state statutes.
We provide key advice on the negotiation, design and implementation of effective environmental investigation and cleanup strategies for numerous Superfund sites and a broad range of state-lead cleanup sites throughout the United States. Our experience with contaminated sites also includes advising companies on long-tail liabilities potentially implicated by corporate transactions.
CERCLA and State Law Analogs. Our environmental lawyers handle all aspects of the cleanup of contaminated sites, from the initial investigatory and corrective measures strategy phase to the cleanup and the corrective measures implementation phase. We have handled both multi-party and single-party complex cleanup actions involving the remediation of a broad range of contaminants. As part of our work, we have defended against federal/state claims, prosecuted, and defended private cost recovery actions, participated in large joint defense groups, and negotiated settlements as part of CERCLA cleanups. This work has specifically included pursuing recovery of cleanup costs on behalf of private parties against the federal government.
RCRA. We manage regulatory, permitting, and cleanup issues under RCRA and state cleanup laws that commonly confront manufacturing, oil & gas, power companies, and others. We have negotiated the terms of RCRA corrective action and post-closure care permits, contested and resolved numerous RCRA enforcement actions, challenged and defended RCRA permit decisions for hazardous waste facilities, and provided counseling on RCRA’s cradle-to-grave management obligations for waste and hazardous secondary materials. We have significant experience advising and defending companies with respect to solid waste management under RCRA, including coal combustion residuals (“CCR”).
Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanups. Our environmental lawyers are able to provide effective counsel to clients on the range of legal and technical issues associated with redeveloping abandoned and underutilized industrial and commercial properties that may have some degree of environmental contamination and that governmental officials would like to see economically redeveloped rather than abandoned.
Recycling and Waste Management. Our lawyers work proactively with clients to identify solutions associated with the handling, recycling, and disposal of waste in a safe manner that complies with state and federal law. This work includes identifying off-site and on-site management options, advising on beneficial use and recycling, negotiating disposal contracts and liabilities, and identifying applicable exemptions and exclusions.
