Environmental compliance is now a major consideration for everyone. The stakes are high. So too are the expectations of the government and the public. From tighter pollution controls to protecting the public against hazards created decades ago, today’s requirements on the local, state and federal levels are extremely complex.
CSG’s Environmental Group understands the laws and issues, as well as the importance of addressing them in a client-focused, cost-effective manner. Handling litigation, regulatory and transactional matters for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to individual homeowners, the firm routinely partners with management and legal teams to identify gaps, risks and best practices. Our representation also includes court-ordered and private alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
Our attorneys are active, visible members of the environmental law and business communities, and enjoy taking on tough cases. Our knowledge and experience – in and out of the courtroom – have earned the respect of some of the most prominent lawyers, regulators, legislators and consultants in the field.
A further testament to their thought leadership and authority, the firm’s environmental attorneys provide real-time insight on the environmental issues affecting companies via CSG’s Environmental Law Blog.
Our environmental experience includes a wide variety of representations, including matters involving:
- Energy & Utilities
- Environmental Enforcement
- Environmental Insurance Coverage
- Environmental Litigation
- Environmental Regulatory Compliance & Counseling
- Environmental Transactions
- Occupational Safety & Health Compliance
We regularly appear before state and federal courts, and work before agencies including:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
- New Jersey Office of Administrative Law
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
- New York Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York Office of Administrative Hearings
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- County Boards of Health
Drawing from our deep understanding of the government offices, legislators and agencies we interact with, we provide strategic, proactive counsel critical to developing effective policies, processes and procedures.
The Group is widely regarded as one of the leading environmental practices in New Jersey and New York, and has earned top honors in both Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and U.S. News/Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings.
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi’s Environmental Group has worked with clients on numerous important matters, including:
- Represented Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. in connection with obtaining permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the construction of high-rise buildings along the Hudson River in Weehawken, NJ
- Represented CenterPoint Properties in the negotiation of environmental provisions of the purchase agreement, due diligence and environmental insurance for a $21.8M commercial property acquisition in Carlstadt, NJ
- Representing residential and commercial developers in lawsuits against the United States pending in US Court of Federal Claims and United States District Court arising from the government's sale of the former Raritan Arsenal with buried unexploded ordnance and hazardous substances
- Defending residential developers sued by current homeowners due to the discovery of historic pesticides resulting from the prior agricultural use of the property
- Appointed and served as liaison counsel to a group of generator defendants in the Pennsauken Landfill litigation. In this capacity, our attorneys were responsible for receiving and distributing daily correspondence and representing the positions of the various group members before the Court, Special Master and other liaison counsel.
- Representing numerous parties in the "Tierra Litigation" involving cost recovery litigation by the State of New Jersey against pesticide manufactures that disposed of their dioxin wastes directly to the Passaic River. The State seeks past and future investigation and remediation costs, plus Natural Resource Damage assessment costs, involving the Passaic River, the Newark Bay, parts of the Hackensack River, Kill Van Kull and Arthur Kill.
- In connection with an EPA contention that a witness identified a client's facility as having sent hazardous materials to a site, conducted and presented factual research to the EPA proving the witness had mistaken another facility as being a facility owned or operated by our client
- In connection with a multi-party Superfund site litigation, represented a client through an intensive discovery and ADR process that resulted in a settlement favorable to the client, taking a leading role at all stages of the litigation, ADR and final settlement among the numerous PRPs
- Negotiated with the private party plaintiffs in a CERCLA action, resulting in a favorable settlement for our client in a case days away from trial
- Representing a manufacturer in the Shpack Landfill Superfund Site involving hazardous substances investigation and remediation overseen by the US EPA and radioactive materials being primarily managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to the FUSRAP program
- Represented multiple owners and operators of a steel rolling mill in a litigation brought by the State of New Jersey to recover response costs related to alleged VOC contamination of a public supply well near the site. The matter was settled prior to trial.
- Played a leading role in the mediation of a remediation case stayed pending mediation, resulting in a favorable settlement for our client
- Defended client in response to various odor complaints from neighbors and regulatory agencies, ultimately obtaining withdrawal of odor claims
- Representing a petroleum company in connection with a substantial oil spill. We negotiated the settlement of all claims and resolved related criminal investigation all on favorable terms.
- Representing a liquid bulk terminal company on all environmental matters, including remediation, permitting, auditing, self-disclosure and CERCLA matters in multiple states
- Assisting a client in obtaining regulatory approvals for construction of a power line
- Assisted client in obtaining a favorable settlement in a significant natural resource damages (NRD) matter involving two sites and adjacent waterbodies
- Representing client in cleanup cost recovery cases in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, California, Rhode Island, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, Massachusetts and Florida
Bisnow: New Jersey State of the Market
Bisnow: New Jersey Industrial & Logistics
New Funding Available to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms
CSG's Arrabito Tapped for NJSBA Cannabis Law Committee
ACC NJ: Environmental Justice Update for NJ Businesses
New Jersey's Ban on Single-Use Plastics
SCOTUS Watch: Two Cases Worth Keeping an Eye on This Week
Supplemental Environmental Projects Revived
New Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Programs in New Jersey
The New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020 Explained
NJUA: Keeping It 100 - The PACT's Impact - Stimulus and Sustainability
NAIOP New Jersey: Regulatory, Legislative & Legal Update
CSG Achieves High Rankings in the Chambers USA 2020 Edition
Environmental Concerns Related to COVID-19
89 Water Street Associates, LLC v. Reilly
David J. Mairo Appointed to the Meadowlands Chamber's Board of Advisors
New Jersey Water Laws and Regulations
Funding Available to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms
Welcome to "Ground Zero" for Climate Change
Third Circuit Fills Gap Left by CERCLA
New Jersey Legislature Considering Bill to Amend A-901 Applicability
Surprise! Welcome to Municipal Court
PFAS - It's Everywhere in New Jersey
U.S. Law Conference
Opportunity Zone Boot Camp & Pitch Competition
Developing a Supply Chain for Offshore Wind
MGP Conference
New Jersey's SRRA Amended: What's Changed?
NAIOP NJ Regulatory, Legislative & Legal Update
2019 Northeast Sustainable Communities Workshop
Forget the Holding, Just Follow the Court's Advice
Forget the Holding, Just Follow the Court's Advice
Happy Is The Nation That Has No History?
New Jersey Proposes Nation's Toughest PFAS Standards
New Jersey PFAS Directive
New Jersey Says No to "Forever Chemicals"
NJDEP Seeks Public Comment on Environmental Justice Guidance
OPRA and Dangerous Animals
NJ's Appellate Division Confirms a Defense to Spill Act Claims
Real Estate NJ: Building on a Success
Goodbye to Stormwater Detention Basins?
The New World of Site Remediation
Dennis Toft Named to NAIOP New Jersey's Hall of Fame
NJDEP Adopts Amended Site Remediation Regulations
EPA to Launch Hazardous Waste e-Manifest System
Brightfields 2018 Newark
The ESG Investing Tug of War Continues
New Jersey Apartment Association Conference & Expo
Sole Shareholder Spill Act Liability Affirmed
CSG Celebrates Earth Day 2018
OSHA Look Backs: No time limits
Is a permit required to fill your property?
The Bible Tells Me What?
CSG Launches Environmental Law Blog
Environmental Law for Attorneys and LSRPs Program
Senate Environment and Energy Committee Passes S-1074 (1R)
A New Jersey Bill of Environmental Rights?
Asphalt Reuse
ROI-NJ: Murphy's Green Message Has Firms Dreaming Big
NJDEP Publishes Contaminants of Emerging Concern Web Page
What's on the Environmental Horizon?
CSG Announces Seven Attorney Promotions
NJ.com: N.J. Town Blasted in Lawsuit Over Landscaper Leaf Blower Ban
Law360: Newark Energy Center Appellate Decision
Dennis Toft Inducted into American College of Environmental Lawyers
2017 Environmental Law Forum
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC Announces Six Attorney Promotions
ICSC U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference
Annual Environmental CLE Update
Meadowlands USA: Environmental Due Diligence
Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal: It's All About the Dirt
Navigating the Selection Process - Dennis Toft
Law360: NJ Senate Backs Bill Protecting Towns From Spill Suits
Three Years After Sandy, FEMA Maps Challenge Development - Dennis Toft
MNYCA's Fall Forum - John McKinney
Sandy: Three years later, almost home - Dennis Toft
NJDEP CVP/SRAG Group Meeting - Dennis Toft
The Environment and the Oil and Gas Industry - Dennis M. Toft
Emerging & Environmental Claims Managers Association - 2014 Annual Conference
Remedial Investigation Extension Bill Adopted
Governor Signs NJ Economic Opportunity Act of 2013
PlanSmart NJ's Policy Briefing: The LSRP Program, A Year Later
CIANJ's 4th Innovative Environmental Technology Conference
NJBIA's Licensed Site Remediation Seminar
NAIOP Energy Series Seminar: Solar/Renewable Energy Systems
Clean Water Act, NJPDES Program and Clean Water Enforcement Act
National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace Law School
New Jersey Historic Preservation Awards
James S. Arrabito
Associate Phone (973) 530-2103jarrabito@csglaw.com
Mitchell S. Berkey
Member
Chair, Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group Phone (973) 530-2085NY Phone (212) 324-7228mberkey@csglaw.com
James J. Creech
Associate Phone (973) 530-2139jcreech@csglaw.com
Robert H. Crespi
Member Phone (973) 530-2060NY Phone (212) 973-0572rcrespi@csglaw.com
Jason Holt
Member Phone (973) 530-2204jholt@csglaw.com
David J. Mairo
Member Phone (973) 530-2091Fax (973) 530-2291dmairo@csglaw.com
John A. McKinney Jr.
Of Counsel Phone (973) 530-2036Fax (973) 530-2236jmckinney@csglaw.com
Patrick T. Mottola
MemberPhone (973) 530-2037Fax (973) 530-2237pmottola@csglaw.com
Michael J. Naughton
Member Phone (973) 530-2147Fax (973) 530-2347mnaughton@csglaw.com
Michael K. Plumb
Member Phone (973) 530-2148Fax (973) 530-2348mplumb@csglaw.com
Jesse G. Richheimer
AssociatePhone (973) 530-2185jrichheimer@csglaw.com
Dennis M. Toft
Member
Chair, Environmental Law Group Phone (973) 530-2014Fax (973) 530-2214dtoft@csglaw.com
John G. Valeri Jr.
Member
Practice Group Leader, Environmental Law Group Phone (973) 530-2030Fax (973) 530-2230jvaleri@csglaw.com