Environmental Law & Litigation

The Rhoads & Sinon Environmental Law Group is one of our firm's more dynamic and eclectic practice groups. Over the years, the Environmental Group, which partners with the firm’s Oil & Gas and Energy & Telecommunications practice groups, has represented numerous commercial entities, individuals, municipalities and municipal authorities in regards to environmental, energy and natural resource law.

The Environmental Group is a leader in the field of environmental remediation, having counseled clients, whether developers, manufacturers, facility owners/operators or municipal entities, through the process of the Land Recycling Act (Act 2) and helping to secure the liability protection offered by Act 2. We have successfully obtained such protection for numerous clients, including the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority, who purchased and remediated the Harrisburg International Airport and the Capital City Airport. In addition, we have vast experience in counseling clients and negotiating with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in matters concerning the closure of storage tanks and remedial efforts associated therewith, experience with the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund, and development of contaminated sites for productive reuse.

The Environmental Group is also a leading firm with respect to waste flow control issues, waste management and landfill permitting, and harms/benefits analysis.  We have represented many municipal entities through the landfill permitting process as both public and private entities have sought landfill permits, and we also have been counsel of record for several landmark flow control cases, as local municipalities have sought to control the ultimate disposal location of generated waste.

Our representation is diverse and includes counseling public and private organizations and companies on compliance and permitting issues, as well as litigation. We have successfully litigated numerous issues of first impression before both state and federal courts, and before the Environmental Hearing Board, and have represented clients in property value diminution and remediation matters before various courts.

In addition, although the Environmental Group has achieved success on behalf of its clients in many high-profile cases before, federal, state, local and administrative bodies, we pride ourselves in our ability to work cooperatively with the DEP or negotiate with others so as to resolve environmental issues in a cost-effective and responsible manner and thereby minimize litigation.

The attorneys that practice in the Environmental Law Group are also experienced regarding issues of toxic mold. You can learn more about that experience at our Toxic Mold web page.

We have extensive experience in virtually all environmental areas, including:

• Sewage Collection, Conveyance and Treatment
• NPDES permitting and Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Reduction
• Water Allocation and Safe Drinking Water
• Water Pollution Control and Groundwater Remediation
• Landfill Permitting/Harms-Benefit Analysis
• County Solid Waste Management Plans
• Solid Waste Recycling, Characterization and Disposal
• Site Remediation and Brownfields Development
• Mining, and Oil and Gas (together with the Energy Practice Group)
• Environmental Due Diligence
• Storage Tank Regulation
• CERCLA (Superfund) Cost Recovery, Contribution and Enforcement Litigation
• Air Pollution Control
• Regulatory compliance counseling for all areas on environmental law
• Bankruptcy Issues

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