Overview
Pullman & Comley's Environmental Law and Litigation and Land Use practices have extensive experience in all aspects of environmental law, as well as with a full range of planning, zoning, inland wetlands, affordable housing and development matters.
Our Environmental Law and Litigation attorneys handle matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies for situations involving all environmental media. We also help clients in the acquisition and disposal of real estate assets and businesses that may have environmental concerns. Our environmental attorneys are recognized for their deep understanding of the issues and ability to help clients stay current and respond to changing regulations.
Our Land Use attorneys represent national and state developers, municipalities, neighborhood groups, individuals and state agencies in land use matters, handling all phases of development projects from planning, preparation of applications, coordination of experts and presentations to land use and wetlands commissions, through related appeals and litigation.
In the area of Green Development, our attorneys serve clients in the growing and evolving areas of sustainability, green building, responsible property investing, green leasing and project finance.
Experience
Experience
- Represents a regional council of governments and the first certified Connecticut brownfield land bank in connection with the acquisition, remediation and decommissioning of a hydroelectric facility that includes power generation buildings and a dam that spans a major river in Connecticut. In addition to handling all aspects of the acquisition of the real estate and other assets of the hydroelectric company, Pullman's team has negotiated and coordinated permitting and regulatory approvals with multiple federal and state agencies with respect to decommissioning, environmental, land use and funding issues. The removal of the dam will permit the free flow of fish upstream for a distance of forty miles from Long Island Sound.
- Represented a major solid waste and recycling facility in the negotiation of a Consent Order with DEEP.
- Represents regional scrap metal processors and recyclers in connection with environmental, permitting, real estate and land use issues.
- Served as outside environmental counsel to a major municipality regarding claims of widespread well contamination allegedly caused by a former municipal landfill. Successfully negotiated the withdrawal of litigation brought by area residents, oversaw the investigation of the real cause of the well contamination (pervasive use of pesticides by housing developers), coordinated with state and local environmental and health agencies to develop public education and remediation program that resulted in the long-term provision of safe drinking water for area residents.
- Served as counsel to numerous businesses involved in CERCLA contribution/recovery actions.
- Represents a regional council of governments on all environmental programs, including its administration of the EPA Revolving Loan Program.
News & Insights
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Case Studies
- 2024
Our representation of municipalities, businesses and developers often involves navigating significant environmental and regulatory issues in projects that will have a lasting positive impact. For example, we currently represent the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments in a collaborative effort to remove two aging dams from the Naugatuck River with the goal of restoring the river to its natural course and allowing migratory fish passage, while improving water quality, eliminating dam safety concerns and reducing flood risk. Our attorneys worked with federal and state regulators, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to comply with myriad regulations relating to the dams’ removal, as well as the remediation of 200 years of industrial sediments that had accumulated behind them. This remediation will allow the effective passage of fish for a 40-mile stretch of the Naugatuck River from Long Island Sound.
- 2022
Our team is defending a variety of clients that have had enforcement actions brought against them under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and state and federal waste regulations. The actions, which have been brought by state and federal regulators could have resulted in millions of fines being levied against our clients. However, by working with technical professionals and explaining the science behind the alleged violations, our team was able to secure reasonable settlements for our clients.
- 2022
Our environmental lawyers have represented an energy project developer that had its project rejected due to stormwater permitting concerns. Pullman’s environmental team worked with the developer and Connecticut’s environmental regulators to renew that permit application and bring the project into development. Since beginning construction, the project has received favorable comments from Connecticut’s regulators.
- 2022
Our environmental team is defending a variety of clients that have had enforcement actions brought against them under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and state and federal waste regulations. The actions could have resulted in millions of dollars of fines being levied against our clients. However, by working with technical professionals and explaining the science behind the alleged violations, our team was able to secure reasonable settlements for our clients.
Pullman & Comley attorneys, in coordination with the State Brownfield Working Group, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Office of Policy Management and the Commerce Committee of the general Assembly, were instrumental in the creation of a new law that provides greater flexibility and incentives to municipalities for cleaning and redeveloping contaminated sites.
With the assistance of Pullman & Comley attorneys, Sacred Heart University purchased the 66-acre former General Electric world headquarters in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Clean Feet Investors is a Connecticut- based investment fund dedicated to investing in green energy projects. Our attorneys were retained by Clean Feet to assist in its investment activity.
Pullman & Comley has taken the lead in proposing innovative legislation to form a state-certified brownfield land bank that creates a valuable new tool for municipalities seeking to remediate and redevelop brownfield sites.
Pullman & Comley, continues to be a leader on brownfield development, closing deals that change non-productive property into commercially developed land that benefits entire communities. For years, several of our attorneys have been working on various aspects of a large brownfield site located in Waterbury,Connecticut, commonly known as WIC (Waterbury Industrial Commons).
Our attorneys were involved with two key projects that are part of “BGreen 2020,” a plan to improve the environmental quality and livability of Bridgeport’s parks, waterways and streets and to promote Bridgeport as a location for the development of green industries and green employment.
Practice Contact
Member860.424.4315
