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Environment & Energy

With local, state and federal laws and regulations changing constantly, our attorneys are prepared to help clients through the environmental process.

Our attorneys help with the problems that can arise from a seemingly endless array of federal and state environmental regulations. Clients benefit from the excellent working relationships that our attorneys have with environmental consultants and government regulators. In this technical and fast-changing field, our attorneys combine their knowledge of law, industry practices, science and regional regulatory priorities to achieve the best results for our clients. Our environmental law group practice includes:

  • Negotiating Act 2 and Brownfields Agreements to bring contaminated properties back into productive reuse
  • Minimizing environmental liability
  • Negotiating permits and agreements for air emissions, wastewater discharges and waste treatment or disposal
  • Drafting and negotiating agreements with municipalities and sewer, water and solid waste authorities
  • Representation of potentially responsible parties at superfund sites, including participation in PRP groups
  • Developing legal strategies to investigate, evaluate, and clean up contaminated properties
  • Private cost recovery under CERCLA and other statutes and legal theories
  • Environmental hearing board proceedings
  • Advising clients in handling the media as related to environmental concerns

Professionals

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November 7, 2024

Barley Snyder Named to Best Law Firms® 2025 Edition 28 Times

For Immediate Release Lancaster, Pa. – Barley Snyder is proud to announce that Best Lawyers® has named the firm to its 202...

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October 9, 2024

Ignoring DEP Notices of Violation Can Have Serious Consequences

Receiving a communication from the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) stating that you or your business has v...

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Press Release
August 15, 2024

Barley Snyder Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America

For Immediate Release Lancaster, Pa. – Forty-nine Barley Snyder attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in ...

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News Alert
August 13, 2024

DEP Launches New Initiatives to Streamline Permitting Process, Including Use of Private Environmental Professionals to Review Permits

By Martin Siegel The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) has announced that it will introduce two...

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News Alert
May 2, 2024

Draft Changes to the 2024 NPDES General Permit (PAG-02) and Their Impact on Future Development Projects

The comment period for the draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit (PAG-02) (“General ...

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April 30, 2024

DEP Launches Pilot Program to Speed Review of Stormwater Construction Permits

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) is initiating a pilot program to speed the process for re...

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News Alert
April 19, 2024

EPA Designates Two PFAS Chemicals as Hazardous Substances Under CERCLA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on April 19, 2024 finalized a new rule designating two widely used PFAS chemic...

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April 11, 2024

The Ever-changing Regulatory Landscape and Potential Impacts of PFAS on Businesses 

The ubiquity of PFAS (per and polyfluoalkyl substances), so-called “forever chemicals,” has made them a focus of regulato...

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March 11, 2024

Recent Lawsuit Highlights Potential Liabilities Related to PFAS in Sewage Sludge

A recently filed lawsuit filed in Maryland highlights the potential liabilities of wastewater treatment plants and sewage slu...

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February 12, 2024

Solar Lease Considerations as Renewable Energy is on the Rise

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), energy generation from renewable sources like wind and solar e...

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January 16, 2024

Experts Are Key to Success in Environmental Litigation

“An expert is a person who has few new ideas; a beginner is a person with many,” Albert Einstein famously said. Many fact...

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Press Release
December 1, 2023

Barley Snyder Attorney Martin R. Siegel Reappointed to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Sewage Advisory Committee

For Immediate Release York, Pa. – Barley Snyder is pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Pr...

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Press Release
November 3, 2023

Barley Snyder Aids in Landmark Agreement to Resolve Wastewater Treatment Plant Violations in Baltimore

For Immediate Release Columbia, Md. – Barley Snyder played an instrumental role in the settlement by the Maryland Depa...

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Press Release
August 17, 2023

Barley Snyder Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America

For Immediate Release Lancaster, Pa. – Fifty Barley Snyder attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® ...

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Press Release
August 14, 2023

Barley Snyder Attorney Reilly S. Noetzel Named to PBA, Penn Manor Education Foundation Positions

For Immediate Release Lancaster, Pa. – Barley Snyder is pleased to announce Attorney Reilly S. Noetzel has been appointed t...

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News Alert
June 1, 2023

Solar Lease Provisions in Pennsylvania and Further Landowner Considerations

Our previous alert titled “Solar Leases: Legal Considerations for Landowners,” discussed several fundamental provisions o...

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News Alert
May 17, 2023

Solar Leases: Legal Considerations for Landowners

Over the past six years, Pennsylvania landowners, and farmers in particular, have witnessed a surge in the number of solar co...

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News Alert
April 20, 2023

PA Supreme Court ERA Ruling Allows Greater Protection (and Potentially Regulation) of Privately Owned “Public Resources”

On April 19, 2023, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the Department of Environmental Protection’s (“DEP”) oil and g...

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News Alert
March 14, 2023

New ASTM Standard Recognized by U.S. EPA for Phase 1 Reports Now in Effect

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took final action to amend the Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inq...

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News Alert
February 23, 2023

PA Supreme Court Enhances Ability of Permit Challengers to Recover Attorney’s Fees from Private Parties

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has made it easier for public interest groups and others challenging clean water permits issue...

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Press Release
February 13, 2023

Barley Snyder Attorneys elected to Lancaster Bar Association Posts

For Immediate Release Lancaster, Pa. – Two Barley Snyder attorneys have been appointed to new leadership positions with the...

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News Alert
February 2, 2023

DEP Proposes Changes to Its Post-Construction Stormwater Management Policy

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) has proposed a number of significant changes to its Post-...

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News Alert
January 17, 2023

Pennsylvania Adopts New PFAS Drinking Water Standards for Public Water Systems

Pennsylvania has adopted stringent new drinking water standards for two forms of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFA...

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Press Release
October 7, 2022

Barley Snyder Attorney Martin Siegel Selected as President of The Daily Pennsylvanian Alumni Association

For Immediate Release York, Pa. – Barley Snyder attorney Martin R. Siegel has recently been named president of The Dail...

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Press Release
November 22, 2021

Barley Snyder a “Best Law Firm” More than Two Dozen Times

For Immediate Release  Lancaster, Pa. – Barley Snyder is proud to announce that U.S. News & World Report...

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News Alert
November 17, 2021

PFAS Rule Could Have Long-Reaching Effects in PA

A proposed rule in Pennsylvania would enforce strict water quality standards for two forms of per and polyfluoroalkyl substan...

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News Alert
October 19, 2021

New PFAS Reporting Expected by 2023

In a new federal plan to remediate “forever chemicals” known as PFAS across the United States, certain businesses would n...

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News Alert
October 5, 2021

PFAS Reporting Rule Likely to Impact Many Businesses

A pending federal requirement that companies report their use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – commonly know...

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News Alert
September 1, 2021

Pay Attention to Environmental Liability Protection Fine Print

While the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Act 2 voluntary cleanup program protects a property owner f...

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Press Release
August 25, 2021

“Best Lawyers” Honors 30 Barley Attorneys

For Immediate Release  Lancaster, Pa. – Barley Snyder is pleased to announce that the prestigious “Best Lawyers...

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Press Release
June 25, 2021

Barley Snyder Attorney Noetzel Named to Bar Association Council

For Immediate Release  Lancaster, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Bar Association Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Se...

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News Alert
March 19, 2021

Could Maryland Pollution Ruling Soon Affect Pa.?

A Maryland circuit court recently ruled that the Maryland Department of the Environment must regulate ammonia air emissions f...

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Press Release
November 6, 2020

Barley Snyder Named “Best Law Firm” in 21 Categories

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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News Alert
November 4, 2020

DEP Finalizes New CAFO General Permit

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has announced the availability of its new General Permit for Operatio...

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Press Release
August 20, 2020

Nearly Thirty Barley Snyder Attorneys Named “Best Lawyers”

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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News Alert
July 17, 2020

Attorney General’s Settlement with Pittsburgh Water Authority a Reminder of Lead Pipe Obligations

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General entered into a settlement on July 16, 2020 with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Au...

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News Alert
May 29, 2020

DEP’s Nutrient Credit Trading Program Upheld

A cost-effective method of helping businesses meet federal environmental standards for discharge into the Chesapeake Bay’s ...

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News Alert
May 1, 2020

Environmental Rights Amendment a Powerful Tool to Challenge DEP Permit Approvals

Just because the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection might issue your business a permit, that doesn’t mean ...

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News Alert
April 17, 2020

DEP Will Enforce Environmental Requirements During Pandemic

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has clarified that it will continue to enforce all environmental laws...

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News Alert
April 2, 2020

DEP to Relax Environmental Compliance During Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is relaxing environmental compl...

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News Alert
March 23, 2020

Environmental Compliance in the Time of COVID-19

Now that the Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered the closure of non-life-sustaining businesses across Pennsylvania, questions arise as ...

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Press Release
March 17, 2020

Barley Snyder Establishes COVID-19 Response Service Team

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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News Alert
January 16, 2020

Beware: Certain DEP Deadlines Can’t Be Waived

The deadlines for appealing actions by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are rigid, and the state’...

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News Alert
November 15, 2019

DEP Identifies PFAS Source: What It Means for Property Owners

Commercial and industrial property owners now have been put on notice by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protect...

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News Alert
November 7, 2019

Funding Available for Community Clean Water Projects

Municipalities, authorities, county conservation districts, educational institutions and watershed organizations can apply fo...

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Press Release
November 4, 2019

Barley Snyder Named “Best Law Firm” in 16 Categories

For Immediate Release  Lancaster, Pa. – Barley Snyder is proud to announce it has been named to the “Best Law F...

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News Alert
October 4, 2019

DEP Seeking Comments on Next General Permit

After recently finishing off the public comment period for one National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) genera...

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News Alert
October 2, 2019

Analysis: “Important Environmental Precedent” Set in Swine Farm Case

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court set an important environmental precedent Thursday in a long-running case that will benefit fam...

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Press Release
September 26, 2019

Barley Snyder Pa. Supreme Court Win Protects Family Farmers

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release La...

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News Alert
September 6, 2019

DEP Action Undercuts Act 2 Protections

For the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a legal commitment is a legal commitment. At least until the age...

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News Alert
August 28, 2019

Court Clarifies Municipalities’ Obligations under Environmental Rights Amendment

A court decision this week reaffirms a local zoning board’s obligations when it comes to environmental permitting. Monday...

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News Alert
August 22, 2019

DEP Issues Draft Stormwater General Permit; Invites Comments

Real estate developers and construction professionals have until mid-September to supply the Pennsylvania Department of Envir...

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Press Release
August 16, 2019

Barley Snyder Hires Environmental Attorney Martin Siegel

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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Press Release
August 15, 2019

Barley Snyder Places 21 Attorneys on “Best Lawyers” List

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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Press Release
July 2, 2019

Barley Snyder Enters NLJ’s Top 500 as “Top-Ranked New Entrant”

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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Press Release
November 2, 2018

Barley Snyder Named a “Best Law Firm” in 13 Different Categories

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release&nb...

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Press Release
August 16, 2018

Sixteen Barley Snyder Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers” List; Werner Named a “Lawyer of the Year”

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release La...

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Press Release
November 8, 2017

Barley Snyder Earns Eight Rankings in “Best Law Firms” Report

Media Contact: Michael Sadowski, Communications Coordinatormsadowski@barley.com or 717-208-8842 For Immediate Release La...

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News Alert
August 3, 2017

Land Owners Could Be Paying Piece of Proposed Severance Tax

Whether or not the latest natural gas severance tax proposal gets passed into law in Pennsylvania, House Bill 542 c...

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