Litigation

• Representing a major waste management company in class and mass actions for toxic tort and nuisance lawsuits related to the operations of landfills in several states.
• Representing former property owner of industrial site in litigation by current property owner seeking cleanup cost contribution under New Jersey’s ISRA and Spill Act, as well as CERCLA and common law theories.
• Representing solid waste and recycling companies in Clean Water Act citizen suits brought against facilities in multiple states.

Project Development

John represented five cities, a village, and two sewer districts that cooperated on a unique regional solution to reduce combined sewer overflows from all of their systems into the Hudson River. He helped create and organize a local development corporation and set up two inter-municipal agreements, which allowed the municipalities to start work on projects that are making a significant difference in the river’s water quality.

Site Remediation

John has helped numerous property owners and responsible parties clean up historically contaminated properties under brownfield programs and administrative consent orders, ensuring that his clients’ responsibilities were appropriately defined while putting the properties back to productive use. These projects require strong communication to manage the interests and legal positions of the government, property owners, and past users of the site.

Permitting

John was part of a team that secured permits and property authorizations for an underwater power cable from New Jersey to Brooklyn. The route crossed a patchwork of physical and legal territories, and his team crafted a sequence of permits and contracts that were issued successfully under strict time pressure to start construction.