Sustainability + Environmental, Health + Safety (EH+S) Regulatory

Bob’s broad EH+S experience helps manufacturers and other businesses, institutions, and utilities address the range of regulatory demands they face, such as the following federal programs and their state counterparts:

• Worker safety standards enforced under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Mine Safety and Health Act;
• Clean Water Act permitting of wastewater and stormwater discharges;
• Clean Air Act emissions regulation;
• Hazardous waste management and underground storage tank requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA);
• Spill and chemical reporting and release prevention under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Clean Water Act;
• Regulation of chemical manufacturing and distribution under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); and
• Environmental disclosures under Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and corporate reporting of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters to the public and interested investors.

His studies in chemical engineering and prior experience as an environmental engineer at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) help him appreciate the mix of legal and technical issues affecting his clients' matters. Recognizing the growing and evolving scope of EH+S concerns, Bob helped create and now co-chairs our firm’s Sustainability Group. This interdisciplinary team provides the firm and our clients with the coordination and experience required to successfully identify and implement sustainable strategies for minimizing the impact of their operations and products. Bob has also held positions on the University of Connecticut’s Environmental Policy Advisory Council and a DEEP “lean” task force formed to help the agency streamline its adjudication process.

Site Remediation + Development

Bob helps clients and their technical consultants navigate through the obstacles that can delay or burden site cleanups and restorations, brownfield redevelopment efforts, infrastructure and other construction projects, solar/wind energy generation installations, and water supply and distribution projects. His guidance and representation allow clients and their project teams to overcome the inevitable mix of legal, technical and financial challenges they face, such as:

• Securing financial and technical assistance available to owners and their communities seeking to redevelop brownfield properties or complete clean energy and conservation projects;
• Establishing cleanup criteria, institutional controls, financial assurance mechanisms, and other measures required under CERCLA, RCRA, and state programs such as Connecticut’s new Release-Based Cleanup Regulations;
• Developing strategies to meet TSCA remediation and disposal standards for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and authorization to use encapsulation and similar abatement methods for PCBs, asbestos, and other building materials;
• Completing the analysis and application proceedings required for projects’ regulatory requirements, including wetlands and other EH+S permitting;
• Scoping and completing impact assessments and reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act; and
• Completing surveys and identifying mitigation plans addressing Endangered Species Act concerns.

He has served on several business-government partnerships to develop better environmental policies and standards. Bob continues to work closely with business, agency, and elected officials on brownfield redevelopment and conservation projects. He is also a regular contributor to the firm's Environmental Law + blog.