Law Department - Environmental Law

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	Environmental Law Division attorneys represent the City and its agencies in an extensive range of environmental matters, including land-use review of City projects and private development; Clean Air Act compliance and enforcement; wastewater treatment and compliance; solid and hazardous waste management; energy development and policy issues; harbor navigation and dredging; parks and natural resources preservation (including wetlands protection and remediation); and Safe Drinking Water Act compliance. The Division also works on numerous matters concerning the City's water supply system, including affirmative litigation to protect water quality; defending claims against the City based on water protection enforcement efforts; and counseling about implementation of the historic City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement. Division attorneys litigate in State and Federal courts; represent the City in administrative and legislative hearings; and counsel agencies on their environmental programs, policies, and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

	What New Attorneys Do New attorneys draft briefs, affidavits, and other legal papers for state and federal environmental litigation, under the supervision of senior attorneys. New attorneys also attend court conferences and hearings, and may argue motions in court. Administrative proceedings before the Environmental Control Board are handled by new attorneys, with minimal supervision from senior attorneys. In addition, new attorneys help counsel client agencies on regulatory compliance, by researching and drafting memoranda; drafting and reviewing correspondence; and assisting in managing and coordinating agency action. Finally, new attorneys may also find themselves contributing assistance to various other types of matters, such as intra- and inter-agency policy negotiations, or the management of the City's potential Superfund liabilities.

	What Summer Interns Do Working closely with lawyers in the Division, interns in Environmental will be exposed to a broad range of municipal environmental issues. Interns will typically write two to four legal research memoranda on environmental, land use and energy law matters which are used in providing advice to client agencies. Research projects from past summers include analyzing federal requirements governing PCB’s in public buildings, State/EPA authority to regulate certain wastewater discharges under the federal Clean Water Act, and the City's liability for clean-up of contamination in the Gowanus Canal under the federal Superfund Law. Students also draft affidavits and sections of memoranda of law in administrative proceedings and State and federal court litigation. Interns attend and participate in meetings and attend court appearances. The Division takes two interns each summer, usually one second year and one first year student.



	View the Law Department's Annual Reports for More Information about the Environmental Law Division