Internationale Kompetenzen in Sachen Umweltschutz

Umweltrechtliche Streitigkeiten mit Greenberg Traurig regeln

Wirtschaftliche Aktivitäten gehen häufig mit der Verschmutzung von Luft, Wasser und Land, einer möglichen Beeinträchtigung von Biotopen oder anderen Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt einher. Dies kann zu Rechtsstreitigkeiten führen, etwa wenn Behörden Maßnahmen anordnen, Umweltschutzorganisationen gegen Genehmigungen Rechtsmittel einlegen oder wenn betroffene Personen gesundheitliche oder materielle Schäden geltend machen.

Bei Umweltangelegenheiten Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurigs Praxisgruppe Umweltrechtliche Streitigkeiten setzt sich aus einem engagierten, mandantenorientierten Anwaltsteam zusammen. Das international aufgestellte Team unserer Kanzlei verfügt über umfassende Erfahrung in komplexen zivil- und strafrechtlichen Umweltangelegenheiten, darunter:

Ansprüche in Bezug auf Personenschäden, Tötungsdelikte, medizinische Überwachung und Sachschäden
aufgrund von Umweltbedingungen und -expositionen
Regulatorische Streitigkeiten und Beschwerden gegen Genehmigungen
Anfechtung von Vorschriften
Bürgerklagen
Rechtsstreitigkeiten in Bezug auf Verwaltungsvollstreckungs- und Zwangsvollstreckungsmaßnahmen
Interne Untersuchungen
Strafvollzug
Durchsetzungs- und Kostenansprüche sowie sonstige Ansprüche nach CERCLA und RCRA
Ansprüche wegen Schäden an Rohstoffen
Umweltrechtsstreitigkeiten, einschließlich immobilienrechtliche und sonstige geschäftliche Streitigkeiten

Der Schwerpunkt unserer Praxis für Zivilrechtsstreitigkeiten liegt unter anderem auf der Vertretung von Mandanten in Massendelikten, Sammelklagen, bezirksübergreifenden Rechtsstreitigkeiten, Vollstreckungen und Bürgerklagen. Greenberg Traurigs Anwälte verfügen über die relevanten Kenntnisse und Fähigkeiten, um unsere Mandanten gerade auch im Hinblick auf die stetigen Entwicklungen in diesen Bereichen und zu den daraus entstehenden Ansprüchen zu beraten.

Unser GT-Team verfügt über jahrelange Erfahrung mit komplexen Projekten in den Bereichen Boden-, Wasser- und Luftverschmutzung. Zu unserer Herangehensweise gehört auch die Entwicklung kreativer Verteidigungsstrategien, auch solcher, die auf eine möglichst zeitnahe Beilegung abzielen. Wir arbeiten eng mit Wissenschaftlern, Ärzten, Ingenieuren, Gutachtern, Ökonomen, Historikern, Wirtschaftsprüfern und anderen Sachverständigen zusammen, die in komplexen umweltrechtlichen Streitigkeiten oft eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Darüber hinaus verfügen wir über umfangreiche Erfahrung in Berufungsverfahren, die unsere Prozess- und Verfahrensstrategien abrunden.

Unsere deutsche Praxis verfügt über langjährige Erfahrungen in Rechtsstreitigkeiten betreffend umweltbezogene Risiken. Dies umfasst die Beratung in komplexen verwaltungsrechtlichen Streitigkeiten zur Abwehr behördlicher Verfügungen in Bezug auf die Untersuchung oder Sanierung von Boden- und Grundwasserkontaminationen. Darüber hinaus vertreten wir Mandanten bei der Geltendmachung oder der Abwehr von zivilrechtlichen Ausgleichsansprüchen aufgrund solcher Kontaminationen. Unsere Erfahrung erstreckt sich auch auf den Abschluss öffentlich-rechtlicher Verträge mit Behörden zur Vermeidung hoheitlicher Anordnungen oder Vollstreckungen.

Erfahrung auf der gesamten Bandbreite von Umweltgesetzen

Unsere Mandanten kommen aus der Chemie-, Raffinerie-, Bergbau- und Fertigungsindustrie sowie aus weiteren Industrien und Branchen, die von Themen wie Luft-, Wasser- und Bodenverschmutzungen, Altlasten, Abfallwirtschaft, Gefahrstoffen und gefährlichen Abfällen, Forstressourcen, Bodenschätzen und anderen natürlichen Ressourcen betroffen sind. Unsere Erfahrung umfasst die gesamte Bandbreite von Umweltgesetzen sowie Fragen in Bezug auf den Klimawandel. Wir arbeiten häufig mit unseren Kollegen aus anderen Praxisgruppen der Kanzlei zusammen, z. B. aus den Bereichen Immobilienwirtschaftsrecht, Projektentwicklung, Gesellschaftsrecht, Energierecht und Restrukturierung & Insolvenz.

GT: Schnell und effizient

Unsere Anwälte reagieren schnell und effizient auf einstweilige Verfügungen und sonstige Unterlassungsansprüche, straf- und verwaltungsrechtliche Durchsuchungsbefehle, Umweltfreisetzungen, Expositionen am Arbeitsplatz und andere Krisensituationen. Unsere Anwälte unterstützen unsere Mandanten im Rahmen ihrer Meldepflichten, in der Auswahl und Verwaltung von Beratern, in Bezug auf Abhilfemaßnahmen, Krisenmanagement und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, der Sicherung von Beweisen, bei internen Prüfungen und Untersuchungen, bei der Bewertung von rechtlichen Risiken sowie der Entwicklung und Umsetzung kurz-, mittel- und langfristiger Verteidigungsstrategien.

Kanzlei für Verteidigung von Organisationen und Privatpersonen in Zivil- und Strafverfahren

In Zusammenhang mit Durchsetzungsmaßnahmen der Regierung haben wir umfassende Erfahrung in der Vertretung von Mandanten bei Untersuchungen durch Behörden und die Grand Jury in den Vereinigten Staaten sowie in der Verteidigung von Organisationen und Privatpersonen in Zivil- und Strafverfahren aufgrund von Umweltgesetzen. Unsere Anwälte führen bei Bedarf effektive und effiziente interne Untersuchungen durch. Wir bemühen uns stets um eine frühe und direkte Einbeziehung der Behörden und um eine schnelle und kostenbewusste Lösung. Wir sind erfahren in der Aushandlung von Vereinbarungen über den Verzicht oder die Aussetzung der Strafverfolgung sowie verwaltungs- und zivilrechtlichen einvernehmlichen Beilegungen und Prozessvergleichen. Greenberg Traurigs Anwälte sind als Verteidiger in Durchsetzungsverfahren aufgetreten, an denen die US-amerikanischen Environmental Protection Agency, das Justizministerium, die Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service und Customs and Border Protection sowie zahlreiche bundesstaatliche und regionale Strafverfolgungs- und Regulierungsbehörden beteiligt waren. Da zu unserem Team ehemalige Mitarbeiter von Regulierungsbehörden, Staatsanwälte und andere Regierungsbeamte gehören, haben wir die geeignete Grundlage, um potenzielle Verstöße zu analysieren, die Perspektive der jeweiligen Behörde einzunehmen und unsere Mandanten bei der Entwicklung und Umsetzung der bestmöglichen Handlungsstrategien zu unterstützen.

Vielfältige Kompetenzen und Branchenkenntnisse

Erfahrung im Umgang mit allen Aspekten umweltrechtlicher Streitigkeiten, einschließlich Verfahren und Berufungsverfahren
Fokus auf den Mehrwert für unsere Mandanten
Fähigkeit schnell auf Freisetzungen, Durchsuchungsbefehle und andere Krisen zu reagieren
Durchführung effektiver und effizienter interner Untersuchungen
Umfassende Erfahrung in der Verteidigung zivil- und strafrechtlicher Durchsetzungsklagen vor Gericht
Versiert in den wissenschaftlichen und medizinischen Aspekten von Fällen im Umweltrecht
Etabliertes Netzwerk externer Experten für die Identifizierung von und den Umgang mit technischen Fragen
Einheitliche Strategie und Themen über alle Prozessphasen hinweg
Interne Kapazitäten für kosteneffizientes Informationsmanagement
Effektive Kommunikationsinfrastruktur einschließlich sicherer, webbasierter Räume
Innovatives internes Legal-Tech-Team

Representative Experience

Toxic Tort Matters

Currently representing an international aerospace company in four high-profile mass toxic-tort actions where plaintiffs allege emissions from a manufacturing facility contaminated nearby properties and injured persons near the facility. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, medical monitoring, and monetary damages.
Defended the Orlando Utilities Commission in a $100M putative class action brought by residents alleging that emissions from a power plant contaminated approximately 15,000 properties within an approximate 80-square-mile area and elevated local cancer rates. Defense efforts forced Plaintiffs to substantiate areawide environmental impact through scientific causation, which, importantly, resulted in them voluntarily abandoning class certification. A putative class action that once included more than 30,000 residents has now been dismissed with prejudice—a complete defense victory.
Representation of a manufacturer in a toxic tort lawsuit brought by 45 plaintiffs in Illinois state court. The plaintiffs had alleged that the company had caused or contributed to soil and groundwater contamination in the town of Wedron. The plaintiffs alleged property damage and personal injuries as a result of being exposed to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) contamination in both the soil and groundwater. The judge granted GT’s motion to exclude the plaintiff’s key liability expert because his analysis was not based on specific data from the site. Without the benefit of expert testimony to support plaintiffs’ argument that the manufacturer was a cause of the contamination, plaintiffs were unable to sustain their burden of proof as to causation, and the judge granted motion for summary judgment. This victory concludes seven years of litigation, in addition to several years prior to the litigation of cooperating with U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA in investigation and remediation activities. The claims of groundwater contamination generated significant publicity, due in part to the participation of environmental activist Erin Brockovich.
Williams v. Mosaic Fertilizer, et al. Defended Mosaic in federal court in toxic tort litigation where plaintiff alleged she suffered adverse health effects as a result of airborne exposure to industrial emissions and claimed over $60 million in damages. Prevailed on all claims in trial court on Daubertand summary judgment motions in a 41-page order and a subsequent order excluding evidence of stigma damages. See Rhonda Williams v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, Case No. 8:14-cv-1748, 2016 WL 7175657 (M.D. Fla. June 24, 2016). Plaintiff appealed the trial court’s decision and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed entry of summary judgment in favor of Mosaic. Williams v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, 889 F.3d 1239 (11th Cir. 2018).
Curd, et al. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC. Decertified a large putative class action brought against Mosaic Fertilizer alleging damages resulting from a release of more than 65 million gallons of acidic process water into the Tampa Bay estuary. The case involved complex scientific issues in the disciplines of ichthyology, benthic ecology, marine biology, physical oceanography, estuarine science, and commercial fishing economics. Following an early dismissal obtained by GT, the case was appealed, ultimately rising to the Florida Supreme Court to address a question of great public importance regarding a key issue in Florida environmental law. See, Curd v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, 39 So. 3d 1216 (Fla. 2010). Addressing Florida’s environmental strict liability statute, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that only a limited class of consisting of commercial fishermen could proceed under Section 376.3113, Florida Statutes, and the Court adopted a definition of damages that precludes personal injury under the statute, thus creating a new defense to Florida environmental claims. Following the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling, the action was remanded to the trial court as a limited, putative class. The Plaintiffs then filed a motion to join over 100 new plaintiffs in an effort to avoid the class certification process, which GT successfully opposed, and the Plaintiffs again appealed. The Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court ruling denying joinder. See, Anderson v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, 160 So. 3d 419 (Fla. 2d DCA 2015) (table decision). The Plaintiffs then finally sought to certify the putative class, which the trial court granted, but which GT successfully decertified on appeal. See Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC v. Curd, et al. 259 So. 3d 239 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018). Here, GT addressed key areas of Florida class action law, with which the appellate court agreed on the following important points: (1) class representatives must provide a reasonable methodology for proving class wide impact, (2) the class representatives evidence did not satisfy that requirement, (3) the Florida Supreme Court decision in Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc., 945 So. 2d 1246 (Fla. 2006), is unique and does not necessarily authorize bifurcation as a means of satisfying the predominance requirement, and (4) the trial court left for later what it was required to do at the class certification hearing, but failed to do. Following class decertification, the Plaintiffs once more sought to intervene plaintiffs, which the trial court denied. A putative class action that once had more than 1,000 members and covered more than 400 square miles of Florida geography was now a case comprised of only seven Plaintiffs. Anderson v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC is a follow-on case that was filed after decertification of the putative class in Curd. After the District Court dismissed Plaintiffs’ Complaint with prejudice, GT negotiated a settlement that resolved all claims with no monetary contribution from GT’s client and resolved 16 years of litigation.
Franco v. Coronet Industries, Inc. Defended chemical company in mass-toxic-tort action with more than 1,100 plaintiffs asserting wrongful death, personal injury, medical monitoring, and property damage. Plaintiffs’ claims arose out of alleged contamination of groundwater, surface water, soil, and air in a large area previously mined for phosphate surrounding a facility that manufactured phosphate-based animal feed supplements and other chemical products. Plaintiffs demanded approximately $250 million in personal injury damages, property damages, and medical monitoring. GT obtained the entry of one of Florida’s first Lone Pineorders, requiring plaintiffs to substantiate their allegations of injury and causation or be subject to dismissal, which resulted in the dismissal of more than 300 plaintiffs. We also employed an offer of judgment strategy that resulted in the dismissal of more than 300 additional plaintiffs through de minimis The remaining claims were settled pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement, which took more than two years to negotiate and was favorable to our client. The action against our client was publicly promoted by environmental activist Erin Brockovich.
Representation of a chemical and manufacturing company in connection with a 1,000+ plaintiff mass tort action involving wrongful death, personal injury, medical monitoring, and property damage claims.
Representation of a large Nebraska agricultural equipment manufacturer in a mass toxic tort action for damages allegedly caused by a release of chlorinated solvent, as well as related negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Representation of a chemical and phosphate company in matters involving mining rights in central and southwest Florida, including litigating, negotiating, permitting, and resolving matters involving several counties, a regional water authority, and multiple regulatory agencies.
Representation of a chemical and phosphate company in a lawsuit filed by an individual alleging that he developed leukemia as a result of exposure to chemicals in the air and groundwater purportedly released from the company’s facility.
Defended a company in an environmental justice mass tort claim brought by individuals alleging property damage and personal injuries purportedly resulting from contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water in their residential neighborhood.
Defeated class certification in multi-district litigation filed against various petroleum companies for purported Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)groundwater contamination in which the cost of the injunctive relief sought in Florida alone exceeded $100 million.
Defended a claim to pierce a parent company’s corporate veil and secured approval of a permanent “channeling” injunction barring future mass tort claims against the parent.
Defended against claims by more than 150 plaintiffs arising out of the release of approximately 50 million gallons of process water into a river.
Represented the corporate parent of a debtor subsidiary in proceedings before the bankruptcy court for approval of a trust fund for future mass tort liabilities arising from chlorinated solvent groundwater contamination.

Environmental Matters

Currently representing the former owners of an oil refinery in Oklahoma where the Environmental Protection Agency, the state environmental agency, and the Natural Resources Trustee are seeking $65 million for past and future response costs and alleged natural resource damages.
Representation of a phosphate and chemical company in a lawsuit filed by an insurance company seeking recovery of past and future investigative, remediation, and removal costs under CERCLA and state law.
Representation of an owner of mineral rights, including rights to Marcellus Shale gas underlying 187,000 acres of national forest land, in litigation with the U.S. Forest Service and environmental groups over access pending completion of an environmental impact statement.
Represented a paper recycler in connection with the Lower Fox River and Green Bay Superfund and Natural Resources Damages site and obtained summary judgment in our client’s favor in a contribution action brought by two other responsible parties.
Represented a liquidating trust in a nationally significant environmental cost recovery case; after an eight-week trial, the court found the trust liable for only 1.72 percent of the $33 million cleanup, millions less than sought at trial. We also prevailed in a subsequent summary judgment motion dismissing the remainder of the claim.
Represented a landowner in litigation against a neighboring spent mushroom substrate processor over runoff and property damage and obtained a shut-down of the offending facility.
Represented a gas pipeline company in an appeal from a demand for air pollution permits for maintenance of compressor station turbines.
Represented a seller of 15 manufacturing facilities in multiple lawsuits seeking recovery for alleged misrepresentations regarding environmental conditions.
Represented an industrial facility operator in a citizen suit challenge to the location of a sludge incinerator on land allegedly impressed with “public trust.”
Achieved a 99.9 percent reduction of a $44 million penalty action for alleged violations of the PSD provisions of the CAA.
Settled a permit appeal by a chemical manufacturer over conditions imposed in a RCRA permit to burn hazardous waste in boilers.

White-Collar Representations

Representing multinational manufacturing company in a multi-state federal criminal investigation concerning alleged violations of the RCRA.
Obtained declination from the Department of Justice for client who had received a target letter in connection with alleged false statements to a federal agent and violations of RCRA.
Represented employees of an international pesticide company, which was the subject of a federal investigation for alleged environmental crimes. The Justice Department pursued criminal charges against the company in connection with catastrophic personal injuries suffered by members of a family who stayed in a resort condominium complex in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The investigation resulted in a plea agreement with the company which included payment of criminal fines, restitution, and a community service project totaling $10 million. No GT clients were charged.
Represented individuals in a federal criminal investigation involving alleged Clean Air Act violations in the District of Puerto Rico.
Defended chief officer of foreign flagged ship in vessel pollution prosecution under federal criminal laws.
Represented a multinational corporation in a criminal investigation concerning alleged RCRA violations, as well as civil enforcement involving a proposed penalty of more than $2 million.
Represented client in criminal investigation by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation concerning construction incident that resulted in deaths of protected wildlife and destruction of protected habitat. No charges were filed against our client.
Represented employees of an international pesticide company in connection with a federal investigation of alleged environmental crimes. Our clients were employees of a company that subcontracted one of its fumigation projects to an independent contractor. The Department of Justice pursued criminal charges against the independent contractor and two of its employees in connection with personal injuries suffered by a family member who lived in a house that was fumigated. The federal investigation resulted in a plea agreement that included prison sentences for the two employees of the independent contractor that had performed the fumigation. No charges were filed against our clients.
Represented senior manager of a chemical plant in a federal criminal investigation arising out of a 20-million-pound chemical release from a Louisiana pipeline.
Representing clients in multiple criminal environmental investigations involving facilities in several U.S. and foreign jurisdictions.
Representing a real estate developer in a grand jury investigation of alleged criminal violations of the CWA.
Provided a pre-indictment defense of a specialty chemical manufacturer for violations of U.S. customs law regarding the importation of various chemicals.
Negotiated a civil resolution with the state attorney general’s economic crimes division of claims involving alleged misbranding of fish by a national food service distributor.
Avoided criminal enforcement against a chemical company through an internal investigation and subsequent voluntary disclosure to governmental authorities.

Expertise