Gibbons Law Alert

Gibbons Law Alert

Category: Environmental and Green Issues

Governor Signs Off on Amendments to New Jersey’s Electronic Waste Management Act

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On January 27, 2017

On January 9, 2017, Governor Christie signed into law a bill aimed at fortifying New Jersey’s existing Electronic Waste Management Act, by ensuring that manufactures of certain consumer electronics shoulder the burden for recycling all such devices actually collected in the state during a calendar year. While this new law is technically a recast of the existing statutory scheme, the changes it affects are, in many ways, transformative. This blog provides a broad description of the previous law, the apparent conditions which prompted its revision, and the key innovations of the new law.

EPA Issues Directive to Clarify Existing Guidance on Sediment Cleanups

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On January 19, 2017

From Portland Harbor in Oregon to New Jersey’s Passaic River, contaminated sediment sites present unique challenges. While the EPA issued guidance documents for addressing contaminated sediment sites in 2002 and 2005, it has since learned many lessons in addressing dozens of such sites. A new memorandum from the EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), formerly the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, sets forth 11 recommendations for improving the way the agency’s regional offices handle the complex process of cleaning up contaminated sediments.

EPA Proposes First Financial Assurances Rule

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On January 4, 2017

On December 1, 2016, following decades of inaction and a court order establishing a deadline by which the proposed rule was to be released, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced that it would publish a proposed rule regulating financial assurances required for parties conducting remediation projects in the hardrock mining industry. Section 108(b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) directed EPA to develop rules requiring “that classes of facilities establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility consistent with the degree and duration of risk associated with the production, transportation, treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous wastes.” 42 U.S.C. 9608(b)(1). Although these rules were required to be promulgated by 1985, EPA never published any rules, which led to a deadline of December 1, 2016 being set by court order in response to a lawsuit complaining that EPA failed to comply with the statute. See In re Idaho Conservation League, 811 F.3d 502 (D.C. Cir. 2016). In the absence of such rules, EPA required financial assurance through negotiated settlements, orders, and guidance.

Recent New Jersey Case Serves as Warning to Redevelopers of Contaminated Sites

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Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On November 7, 2016

A recent New Jersey Appellate Division case concerning spoliation of evidence in the context of a contribution action under the New Jersey Spill Compensation and Control Act (“Spill Act”) counsels caution on the part of redevelopers of contaminated sites. The case makes clear that owners of contaminated sites must endeavor to preserve physical evidence related to the contamination as soon as litigation becomes “probable” if they hope to rely on that evidence in a future contribution action.

Feds Must Consider All Reasonable Alternatives in Endangered Species Analysis

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Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On August 25, 2016

Recently, the D.C. Circuit threw out the United States Fish & Wildlife Service’s (“FWS”) approval of a conservation plan to reduce the impacts of a proposed wind turbine farm on endangered Indiana bats. In Union Neighbors United Inc. v. Jewell, et al., Docket No. 15-5147, the Court of Appeals held that FWS failed to consider all reasonable alternatives to Buckeye Wind LLC’s (“Buckeye”) plan to limit bat injuries and deaths resulting from encounters with the proposed turbines as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”).

Newark Requires Developers to Identify Environmental Impacts of Projects

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Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On July 29, 2016

Recently, the City of Newark (the “City”) approved Ordinance No. 16-0803, a/k/a the Environmental Justice and Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, (the “Ordinance”), which may significantly impact the process for seeking development approvals from the City. The Ordinance purports to advance the policy of promoting environmental justice, environmental stewardship, and sustainable economic development in the City. More specifically, the Ordinance seeks to mitigate the disproportionate impact of pollution and environmental degradation on the health of minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, otherwise known as “environmental injustice.” As the Ordinance notes, the prevalence of environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically distressed communities near industrial centers and other areas afflicted by poor environmental quality is well documented.

EPA Provides Look Into Pending Financial Assurance Regulations

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On June 13, 2016

Recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA” or “the Agency”) shared some preliminary details regarding its impending proposal of financial assurances regulations for the hardrock mining industry. These regulations, which are still under consideration by the Agency, will likely serve as a harbinger of the financial assurances requirements EPA intends to impose on other industries, and collectively, they have the potential to have a significant financial impact on parties responsible for cleaning up contaminated properties.

No Need to Wait: Supreme Court Permits Judicial Review of Wetlands Jurisdictional Determinations

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On June 7, 2016

As we reported, four years ago, in Sackett v. EPA, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a recipient of a compliance order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allegedly illegal filling of wetlands could directly challenge the order in court, and did not have to wait until EPA filed a lawsuit to enforce the order before obtaining judicial review of its validity. In a recent opinion the Court extended the rationale of Sackett and again lowered the threshold of judicial reviewability, holding that a landowner can seek judicial review of a mere determination by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) that its property contains wetlands whose filling would require a permit under the Clean Water Act.

Update: Waterfront Access Stakeholder Group Reports to Senate Committee

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Posted in Environmental and Green Issues

On May 20, 2016

As previously reported, the New Jersey State Senate Environment and Energy Committee convened a stakeholder group to explore legislative action to address waterfront and shoreline public access. On April 21, 2016, the Committee took testimony from the stakeholder group, which will provide a full report to the Committee in a few weeks. Legislation based on the stakeholder’s report may be up for consideration in the fall. The stakeholder group received comments and participation from roughly 80 different entities. The stakeholder group members testified that a general consensus existed between all stakeholders regarding the need to protect critical infrastructure and hazardous sites from public access. This includes the State’s ports, nuclear facilities, chemical and petroleum locations, and environmentally compromised areas (i.e., locations subject to environmental cleanup). Consensus did not exist among the stakeholder group regarding access to waterfront property on or near industrial or commercial locations that are non-critical. There is also a lack of consensus regarding urban waterfront access near residential and commercial buildings. We will continue to monitor the Committee’s work towards drafting a legislative proposal on waterfront access. Should you or your organization have an interest in engaging on this issue, please contact a member of the Gibbons Government & Regulatory Affairs Department.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Proposes Changes to Eagle Management Program

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Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On May 11, 2016

On May 4, 2016, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”) proposed amendments to regulations governing its comprehensive eagle conservation and management program. The proposal follows a successful challenge by environmental groups to FWS’ prior attempt to change its eagle rules, which was tossed out by a federal judge in 2013. The proposed modifications include changes to the manner by which FWS issues permits allowing otherwise prohibited activities which may unintentionally injure or disturb golden and bald eagles.

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