Solid Waste

RCRA Subtitle D Interpretations

We successfully represented a major landfill operator in a preemptive declaratory judgment lawsuit filed against the state of Missouri. The case resulted in the State reversing its position and agreeing that certain significant and extremely expensive provisions of RCRA Subtitle D did not apply to our client. The state also issued an “authority to operate” license which had been previously withheld.

Landfill Enforcement Defense

We have handled enforcement/penalty cases for major waste disposal firms in which favorable resolutions were achieved. In one such case, our efforts assisted our client in obtaining a modification to its permit which allowed a major expansion of its landfill operations to occur before the liability issues were resolved.

Closure Litigation

We successfully represented a major waste disposal firm who leased a former quarry that had been permitted as a sanitary landfill. When regulatory changes made the operation of the landfill cost prohibitive, the company closed the landfill by removing the waste that had been deposited there and terminated the operations. The lessor sued for millions of dollars in unrealized tipping fees, arguing that there was an implied obligation to operate the landfill and that waste removal was not a proper method to close the facility. We obtained summary judgment for the waste disposal company in the trial court, and held it on appeal.

Pre-regulation Landfill Cleanup

We assisted a major corporation in its response to authorities regarding an emergency situation that arose from the discovery of explosive levels of methane gas in city sewers and utility trenches resulting from a pre-regulation sanitary landfill. After sending out immediate, emergency notifications to potential impacted parties, we successfully persuaded the authorities that subsequent investigation and remedial measures could be effectively implemented through a state voluntary program rather than through enforcement proceedings, an approach that resulted in substantial savings for our client.

Eric Boyd	Partner	Chicago	312 580 2214 312 580 2214 Email Download Vcard	Eric represents clients in litigation, regulatory compliance, and transaction matters with respect to all of the major environmental programs. Eric represents clients in litigation, regulatory compliance, and transacti...
Tim Briscoe	Associate	Chicago	312 580 2247 312 580 2247 Email Download Vcard	As a litigator with the Environmental Group, Tim is dedicated to achieving client goals in complex environmental disputes and regulatory matters. As a litigator with the Environmental Group, Tim is dedicated to achieving ...
Sara Chamberlain	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6112 314 552 6112 Email Download Vcard	Sara assists clients in identifying, navigating and responding to environmental risks and liabilities. Sara assists clients in identifying, navigating and responding to environme...
Ed Cohen	Partner	St. Louis \| Chicago	314 552 6019 314 552 6019 Email Download Vcard	Ed has substantial experience in a wide range of complex lawsuits, most of which involve multi-party environmental litigation. Ed has substantial experience in a wide range of complex lawsuits, most of ...
John Galvin	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6341 314 552 6341 Email Download Vcard	John represents domestic and international clients in complex litigation and multi-district litigation in some of the most challenging state and federal venues in the cou... John represents domestic and international clients in complex litigation an...
Suzanne Galvin	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6338 314 552 6338 Email Download Vcard	Clients turn to Suzanne Galvin for results in complex high-profile litigation, particularly in the areas of pharmaceutical, medical device, and environmental exposure cla... Clients turn to Suzanne Galvin for results in complex high-profile litigati...
Suzanne Hart	Associate	St. Louis	314 552 6492 314 552 6492 Email Download Vcard	Suzanne is a litigation associate in the firm's environmental group. Suzanne is a litigation associate in the firm's environmental group.
Ryan Russell Kemper	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6321 314 552 6321 Email Download Vcard	Ryan has a broad and diverse practice serving clients navigating sophisticated matters related to air, water, land, energy, agriculture, emergency response and climate is... Ryan has a broad and diverse practice serving clients navigating sophistica...
Crystal Kennedy	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6168 314 552 6168 Email Download Vcard	Crystal has 30+ years of national environmental experience and leads the transactional area of the Firm's environmental practice. Crystal has 30+ years of national environmental experience and leads the tr...
Steven Mandelsberg	Partner	New York	212 478 7360 212 478 7360 Email Download Vcard	Steve represents financial institutions, businesses and constituencies in major commercial disputes, with a particular focus in lender liability cases, fraud-based invest... Steve represents financial institutions, businesses and constituencies in m...
Paul Sonderegger	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6154 314 552 6154 Email Download Vcard	Paul is a highly effective litigator and regulatory compliance attorney who has resolved environmental and real estate/construction disputes in state and federal courts a... Paul is a highly effective litigator and regulatory compliance attorney who...
Peter Stark Strassner	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6109 314 552 6109 Email Download Vcard	Peter is an environmental attorney who helps companies respond to major environmental incidents, navigate regulatory actions and successfully resolve civil and criminal l... Peter is an environmental attorney who helps companies respond to major env...

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RCRA Subtitle D Interpretations

Landfill Enforcement Defense

Closure Litigation

Pre-regulation Landfill Cleanup

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