Rutan's environmental law practice brings together its historical expertise in public agency and administrative law and real estate law, along with seasoned transactional attorneys and litigators. Our attorneys have experience in each of these areas, and also have developed specialized expertise in environmental law. Thus, the group has the depth to tackle even the hardest environmental law questions and the breadth to devise comprehensive and creative solutions.
The Environmental Law Group works closely with clients to comply with today's environmental laws and to envision changes in tomorrow's environmental regulations. The attorneys focus on advising clients to anticipate, and avoid or successfully resolve, a broad range of environmental issues, including toxic tort litigation, regulatory compliance, site assessment and cleanup, compliance with Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act requirements, and liability under California's common laws of nuisance, trespass, waste and strict liability.
The Real Estate Department’s Environmental Practice Group specializes in the evaluation of environmental liabilities and development of risk management strategies for parties purchasing, selling, leasing, financing and developing land. Of particular emphasis is the redevelopment of environmentally impaired Brownfield properties and urban infill projects, including conversion of industrial and commercial properties to residential land use. Typical projects include negotiating remediation and indemnity agreements; directing site assessments; working with government authorities overseeing health risk, site cleanup and closure criteria; developing mitigation measures; preparing environmental notices and disclosures; and analysis of environmental insurance products. We advise school districts, municipalities, redevelopment agencies and developers regarding the environmental issues affecting the planning, funding, site acquisition and construction of new projects.
The firm's experience ranges from asbestos to urban runoff, from underground storage tank removal to Superfund site cleanup. Rutan has handled significant litigation involving Superfund Sites and large solid waste landfills, such as the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Superfund Sites--Operable Units, the McColl Site in Fullerton, California, the Montrose Chemical Site and affected waters in Los Angeles, the Operating Industries Landfill in Monterey Park, Casmailia in Ventura County, the Chatham Brothers Barrel Yard Site in Escondido, the Cal-Compact landfill in Carson and the BKK Landfill in West Covina.