Environmental and Land Use
Our Environmental, Land Use & Zoning practice represents various businesses, organizations, and individuals, including real estate developers, property owners, conservation organizations, government entities, commercial and industrial operators, property managers, and investors in a wide variety of matters related to real estate development, environmental and land use permitting, and planning. Our attorneys are leaders in the industry with significant experience navigating the complicated interrelationship of local, state, and federal environmental and land use law. Our team frequently advises clients impacted by federal and state legislation including:
- Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA)
- Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (WPA)
- Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)
- Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act (Chapter 91)
- Article 97
- Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA)
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
- Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act (Chapter 21E)
- Urban Redevelopment Projects (Chapter 121A)
We represent clients in all forums including federal and state courts, as well as before state and local boards and commissions including the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, the MEPA Office, the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, the Cape Cod Commission, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and numerous Conservation Commissions and local boards. We also have an active litigation practice in state and federal courts, as well as before the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Our services include facility and project siting, wetlands and coastal permitting, enforcement defense and mitigation compliance, zoning and subdivision control, impact review and auditing, hazardous waste and real estate transactions, brownfields redevelopment, solid waste and health issues, regulatory takings, tax abatements, and environmental mediation.
Our team is committed to providing high-quality service that is unmatched in the industry. Our attorneys utilize their decades of practical experience and established relationships with licensed site professionals, wetland scientists, civil and environmental engineers, architects and other land use and real estate professionals to streamline industrial, commercial, residential, and municipal projects from inception through the local, state, and federal review processes, and, if necessary, through litigation. During this process, we make every effort to listen to our client’s needs and clearly communicate the necessary steps to achieve their desired outcome so that the client is aware of the scope and purpose of our services at every step of the way.