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environmental justice

Practices

Environmental Justice

The following is a sampling of our experience in environmental justice matters:

Corporate Compliance/ESG

  • Formulation of ESG strategic plans that include environmental justice priorities.
  • Provide input on environmental justice action plans for national manufacturer to implement at facilities across the U.S.
  • Conducted environmental justice analysis of a global chemical manufacturer’s 19 U.S. facilities.
  • Analyze various clients’ environmental justice risks and opportunities by utilizing EPA’s EJScreen tool in combination with other EPA, state and local environmental resources.
  • Assist manufacturing client with identifying state environmental justice requirements in connection with expansion goals for future plant locations.
  • Developed strategies to address state emission offset requirements impacting air permitting in environmental justice areas.

Enforcement/Litigation

  • Successfully upheld a landfill expansion opposed by citizens group.
  • Supported transfer station expansion contested for violating Cincinnati’s environmental justice ordinance.
  • Defended odor nuisance action filed by 200 neighbors of a landfill.
  • Advised federal agency of the conservation and legal implications of returning the National Bison Range to federal tribal management.
  • Successfully defend socio-economic impacts analysis under NEPA in federal agency adjudication allowing access to specific portions of public land for mineral extraction.

Transactions

  • Advice and counsel to clients in connection with environmental justice due diligence issues in M&A transactions.
  • Assist real estate developer in environmental justice issues in connection with the sale of a former manufacturing site.

Site Remediation

  • Advice and counsel to clients at various Superfund Sites regarding proactive environmental justice strategies.
  • Work in coordination with environmental public relations specialist on community outreach in environmental justice areas including preparation of fact sheets, Q&A and related documents.
  • Identify local resources to utilize in implementation of site remedies.
  • Incorporate development (including solar) and other enhancements into remedy decisions.
  • Assist manufacturers to revise community response plan to address environmental justice considerations in community.

Community Engagement

  • Developed proactive community engagement options associated with Superfund sites at the state and federal level.
  • Formulate CAG agreements and presentations for CAG meetings to maximize community input and minimize PRP risk.
  • Participated in public meetings associated with notice and comment periods for both permitting and site remediation.
  • Partnered with environmental public relations specialists to conduct targeted outreach associated with sensitive topics, including vapor intrusion and site cleanup.