Who We Are
Kaufman & Canoles’ Environmental Law attorneys are dedicated to helping our clients respond to environmental regulations and enforcement actions of federal, state, and local governments, along with challenges from private parties. Our attorneys bring a vast wealth of knowledge and experience, and a practical sense of cost, risk, and efficiency to bear in every client representation.
How We Help
We’re right there with you – and will negotiate and resolve waste site matters (through consent decrees and other agreements) and guide you to practical and compliant cleanup and remediation strategies. We’ll obtain permits, policy interpretations, and opinions from federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And in all cases, we’ll guide you to cost-effective solutions for virtually any environmental law issue encountered.
In addition, we have an active Federal Superfund and State designated waste sites practice. We have resolved, most often through settlement, investigations, and cleanup of sites across the country, multiple waste sites including the following Superfund sites: Scientific Chemical Processing in NJ, Chem-Dyne in OH, the 68th Street Dump in MD; and Peterson-Puritan in RI. State waste sites that were settled included the Amenia Landfill in NY, and the Cranston Sanitary Landfill and Coventry Landfill sites in RI. These settlements were achieved under the terms of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and State hazardous waste site laws. We are currently working on two Superfund sites: the Peck Iron & Metal Site in Portsmouth, VA and the Berry’s Creek Study Area Site in New Jersey.
Clients appreciate the creative approach we bring to the table and that we offer smart solutions to resolve enforcement actions and avoid litigation. We regularly act as common counsel to groups of companies at these waste sites facing the same challenges and environmental requirements.
Our attorneys have a combination of legal and technical skills, including engineering degrees, which allows them to act as counselors, negotiators, litigators, and mediators depending on our clients’ needs. They also have developed cooperative and effective working relationships with regulators from the principal federal and state agencies.
Who We Represent
We represent a diverse group of clients, including regional food-processing companies, national technology and manufacturing corporations, multinational petroleum and chemical firms, and global consumer-products manufacturers.
We work with a wide range of executives in those companies, including Directors of Environmental Services, Chief Litigation Officers, and other senior technical leaders. Our clients are typically responsible for compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, liability and risk management, dispute resolution, safety and hazardous materials, environmental permitting, and other related issues.
Representative Matters
Serving as lead counsel, recently put together a Superfund cleanup settlement with EPA involving 91 settling parties. Obtained a favorable cost recovery opinion for a Fortune 500 company in a Rhode Island case, Ashland v. Gar Electroforming, et al.
Areas of Concentration
Litigation in Federal & State Courts
Federal & State Agency Administrative Proceedings
Regulatory Compliance Counseling
Permits/Agency Approvals
Brownfields Redevelopment
Merger & Acquisition Transactions
Real Estate Assessments
