Environmental

Since 1994, the environmental lawyers at Quarles & Brady have been involved in the assessment, management and remediation of complex contaminated sediment sites, including the Lower Fox River PCB site in northeastern Wisconsin (the largest contaminated river project in the United States, after the Hudson River). This specialty encompasses work in all aspects of sediment remediation, including complex issues associated with data analysis, fate and transport modeling, remedy selection and remedy implementation (including dredging, capping and natural recovery).

Our work on sediment remediation includes extensive experience preparing and/or commenting on Remedial Investigations, Feasibility Studies, and Proposed Remedial Action Plans. It also includes work resulting in the amendment of existing Records of Decision to achieve more cost-effective remedies. Our negotiating skills have been honed, dealing with both state and federal agencies in the context of Administrative Orders on Consent, Consent Decrees, co-operative agreements and responding to Unilateral Administrative Orders under CERCLA. In the course of this work, we have dealt extensively with qualified environmental consultants and engineers, all with an eye keenly focused on scientific analysis and remedial alternatives that minimize expenses while assuring protectiveness of human health and the environment.

Representative Engagements/Experience:

• Representing a paper mill that released PCBs into the Lower Fox River after recycling carbonless copy paper into tissue paper. This representation includes negotiation of an Administrative Order to complete remedial design of a dredging/cap/natural recovery remedy as well as subsequent Consent Decrees with another paper mill to implement remedial action, resulting in the dredging, dewatering and off-site disposal of almost 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from 2004–2008.
  
  
• Providing counsel on a more limited basis to other clients in connection with the Sheboygan River (Wisconsin) and Waukegan Harbor (Illinois) matters.

For more information on how our Environmental Group can help you address potential or actual environment-related legal and business concerns, please contact Arthur A. Vogel Jr. at (414) 277-5545 or , or your local Quarles & Brady attorney.