Business operations often involve soil, water and air pollution. These discharges can result in damages leading to government enforcement action or private litigation seeking reparation or compensatory recovery.
Butler Snow’s Environmental Litigation Team handles a wide range of environmental litigation matters at the local, regional and national level. We regularly represent clients in:
- government enforcement
- cost recovery actions
- contribution claims
- groundwater contamination cases
- chemical exposure claims
- mining related claims
- insurance coverage disputes
- environmental-related contract disputes
- mining-related flood litigation
- agricultural chemical litigation
- criminal investigations and other complex environmental cases
Our team is experienced in representing clients in federal and state civil and criminal proceedings, as well as during regulatory agency investigations. The firm’s lawyers handle all aspects of environmental litigation, and we recognize the increasing overlap between regulatory compliance and litigation. Our experienced regulatory and compliance lawyers work with our seasoned civil and criminal litigators, creating a well-balanced and experienced team to efficiently handle the most complex environmental cases. Our firm also works with scientists, engineers, economists, physicians and other experts who can be critical resources in complex environmental litigation cases.
Our group’s attorneys are well-versed in environmental laws and regulations, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). We also keep abreast of emerging issues and pending legislation.
Every environmental case is different, and we recognize that environmental issues are unique among different industries. Our lawyers are experienced in the legal and scientific issues that permeate environmental litigation, and our comprehensive knowledge, experience and contact base enables us to achieve optimum results for our clients.
Highlights
- Represented construction company and property owner in Clean Water Act citizen suit.
- Represented local bank in private party environmental litigation arising from the sale of property containing hazardous substances.
- Represented several electric utility systems in defense of federal and state environmental enforcement actions arising from the handling and storage of PCBs.
- Represented property owner in CERCLA cost recovery litigation.
- Represented property owners in EPA enforcement actions related to alleged Clean Water Act (Section 404) violations.