Environmental Law

Grand Rapids and Traverse City Lawyers Skilled in Compliance and Litigation

Environmental law is a practice area made up of a complex set of federal and state common laws, statutes, and regulations. Most businesses and individuals expected to comply with environmental laws in Michigan need legal advice and representation. At the Neumann Law Group, our Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Traverse City environmental law attorneys can help you with both compliance and litigation matters. Some matters that may require environmental compliance include property transactions, corporate due diligence, land use, removal of hazardous waste, responding to greenhouse gas regulation, air quality permitting, and natural resources matters. Our real estate attorneys are familiar with the various issues that may arise.

The Basics of Environmental Law

Both federal and state laws have been enacted to protect the environment. Most of Michigan’s environmental laws have been consolidated as the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA). The statute has many parts, including provisions related to water pollution, air pollution, protecting wetlands, the management of mineral reserves, the regulation of solid and hazardous waste disposal, and the cleanup of environmental contamination sites.

Part 17 of NREPA is the Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA), which authorizes courts to stop actions that harm the environment. Under MEPA, even private citizens may protect the environment by bringing a civil lawsuit. MEPA allows an individual or business to stop agencies from permitting actions that harm water, air, natural resources, or the public trust in them. A defendant in a MEPA action may assert the defense that there is not a feasible or prudent alternative to the actions at issue in the case, and its actions are consistent with promoting safety and public health and welfare, given the state’s paramount concern for protecting natural resources from destruction, pollution, or impairment. Our environmental law lawyers can help Traverse City or Grand Rapids clients bring or defend against a MEPA lawsuit if appropriate.

How an Environmental Lawyer Can Help You

Having an environmental lawyer with Neumann Law Group on your team can help your business proactively address compliance issues, reduce the risk of legal problems, and foster a positive relationship with Michigan and Federal regulatory authorities. It’s important to engage an attorney with expertise in environmental law to ensure that your business is well-prepared and compliant with the complex and evolving environmental regulations. We can assist in obtaining the required permits and licenses for your business operations, and ensure that the permits obtained are in full compliance with environmental regulations. If you’re considering a new project, we will guide your business through the process of conducting EIAs (environmental impact assessments) to determine the potential environmental impacts of new projects or expansions, and provide legal advice on how to mitigate adverse environmental impacts and comply with regulatory requirements.

Our knowledge of environmental law also gives us an edge when it comes to toxic tort litigation, which includes claims related to asbestos and PFC contamination. Toxic tort litigation involves a lawsuit alleging that exposure to a dangerous or toxic substance caused a plaintiff an injury. Sometimes it is an appropriate subject matter for a class action lawsuit, such as when residents of a neighborhood claim that a corporation’s use of pesticides has contaminated the local groundwater and caused them to become ill. These claims may arise in the context of exposure in the home, consumer products, pharmaceutical drugs dangerous, and occupational or job-related exposures.

In many cases, a plaintiff needs to prove that they were exposed to a substance due to the defendant’s actions, the defendant owed a duty not to expose the plaintiff to the substance, and the substance caused their injuries. However, these elements may vary. Generally, the laws of negligence apply when holding polluters and contaminators accountable for the injuries caused by their products. Sometimes environmental regulations provide the basis from which the defendant’s duties are derived, making it more straightforward to establish the plaintiff’s case. However, what must be proven varies from case to case.

Obtain Michigan Environmental Law Counsel in Grand Rapids or Traverse City

If you believe that you may need to bring or defend against an action related to environmental law, the Neumann Law Group may be able to assist you. Our Traverse City and Grand Rapids environmental law lawyers represent clients throughout Michigan in Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, Petoskey, Warren, Holland, Muskegon, Midland, Kalamazoo, Wyoming, and Saginaw, as well as areas throughout the Upper Peninsula. Contact the Neumann Law Group at 800-525-NEUMANN or via our online form to set up an appointment with an injury attorney or seek assistance in another type of legal matter. We also accept clients in California, Massachusetts, and New York across a broad range of practice areas.