The purpose of this Section shall be to bring together such members of the New York State Bar Association as are interested in environmental, land use, energy, health and safety and related issues and topics, to further the education of the legal community, the public and governmental and elected officials on legal, administrative and policy matters relating to such issues, to facilitate the making of public policy, and to provide networking opportunities between and among attorneys in private practice, government, corporations and consulting firms.
Meet the Chair
Howard Tollin is chair of the Environmental & Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
He is president of Sterling Environmental and Professional Services, and executive vice president of SterlingRisk. He consults with clients and lawyers for clients on unique risk management solutions to address business, real estate, and gas station issues, which include environmental, professional and construction exposures. He also coordinates risk management and insurance for environmental consultants and construction companies, which includes the review of contracts.
He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton and Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.
Contact the Environmental & Energy Law Section Liaison
To learn more about this Section, please contact Amy Jasiewiczajasiewicz@nysba.org
(518) 487-5682
Online Community
NY Environmental Lawyer
The New York Environmental Lawyer features peer-written substantive articles relating to the practice of environmental law on various topics including climate change, brownsfields, pollution, air quality, wetlands and superfunds. Regular columns include recent administrative and judicial cases, ethics issues, EPA and DEC updates and Section news. Edited by Miriam E. Villani, Esq., (Editor-in-Chief), Justin M. Birzon, Esq. (Issue Editor), Prof. Keith Hirokawa (Issue Editor), and Aaron Gershonowitz, Esq. (Issue Editor), The New York Environmental Lawyer is published by the Environmental Law Section and distributed to Section Members free of charge.
The New York Environmental Lawyer is published as a benefit for members of the Environmental & Energy Law Section and is copyrighted by the New York State Bar Association. The copying, reselling, duplication, transferring, reproducing, reusing, retaining or reprinting of this publication is strictly prohibited without permission.
© New York State Bar Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 1088-9752 (print) ISSN 1933-8538 (online)
To receive your issue of The New York Environmental Lawyer in an electronic format only, send an email to NYSBA’s Member Resource Center at mrc@nysba.org.
The New York Environmental Lawyer encourages article submissions on topics of interest to members of the Section. Writing an article for a NYSBA Section publication is a great way to get your name out in the legal community and advertise your knowledge. Our authors are respected state-wide for their legal expertise in such areas as climate change, brownsfields, pollution, air quality, wetlands and superfunds.
MCLE credit may also be earned for legal-based writing directed to an attorney audience upon application to the CLE Board. NYSBA Guidelines for Obtaining MCLE Credit for Writing as well as a Publication Credit Application are available.
If you have written an article and would like to have it considered for publication in The New York Environmental Lawyer, please send it in electronic document format (pdfs are NOT acceptable), along with biographical information any to its Editors:
Miriam E. Villani
mvillani@swc-law.com
Justin M. Birzon, Esq.
justinbirzon@gmail.com
Prof. Keith Hirokawa
khiro@albanylaw.edu
Aaron Gershonowitz
agershonowitz@fcsmcc.com
Legislative/Regulatory Policy Submissions, Reports and Letters
- Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (September 22, 2019)
- NYSBA Letter to President Trump on Paris Agreement
- Report and Recommendations Concerning The Conservation Article in the State Constitution – August, 2016
- Comments on DEC’s Proposed Definition of “Underutilized” in Connection with BCP– April 2016
- NYSDEC Proposed Changes to SEQR– March 3, 2016
- Memorandum re NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program– January 8, 2015
- Memorandum in Support of Navigation Law Bill – March 2012
- Memorandum in Support of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Reform Bill – May 23, 2011
- Comments on Proposed EAF Changes – April 26, 2011
- Memorandum re Budget Cuts – Staffing at NYS DEC – November 2010
- Comments on Marcellus Shale DSGEIS – December 2009
- Comments on DER-30 – December 2009
- Memorandum in Support of the Bottle Bill– April 2009
- Bottle Bill Memorandum – June 2007
- Wetlands Bill Memorandum – May 2007
- Brownfields Recommendations for Advisory Committee – December 2006
- Proposed Revisions to Draft Brownfield Cleanup Program Guide – November 2004
Environmental & Energy Law Section Committee
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Adirondacks, Catskills, Forest Preserve Committee
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Agriculture And Rural Issues Committee
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Brownfields Task Force
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CLE & Ethics Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Coastal And Wetland Resources Committee
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Corporate Counsel Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Diversity Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Energy Committee
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Enforcement & Compliance Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Environmental Business Transactions Committee
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Environmental Impact Assessment Committee
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Environmental Insurance Committee
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Environmental Justice Committee
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Executive Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Future Of Federal Environmental Policy Task Force
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Global Climate Change Committee
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Hazardous Waste/Site Remediation Committee
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Land Use Committee
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Legislation Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Membership Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)
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Mining And Oil & Gas Exploration Committee
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Pesticides Committee
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Petroleum Spills Committee
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Social Media And Electronic Communications Committee
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Solid Waste Committee
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Toxic Torts Committee
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Water Quality Committee
Awards
To honor distinguished service to the protection of the environment.
To recognize a member of the Environmental Law Section for outstanding contribution to the Section’s work and activities.
This fellowship program is designed to encourage minority law students to enter the field of environmental law.
This annual competition is designed to challenge law students to analyze the environmental issues confronting us today.
Section Business
- 2020 Guidelines for Program, Speaker, Diversity and Reimbursement (January 30, 2020)
- Taking Action on Climate Change in New York: 2017 Update Report (June 18, 2017)
- Green Guidelines
- Policy and Procedures for Section Comments on Legislation, Regulations and Guidance Documents
- Speaker Guidelines (Updated 10/23/2011)
- Speaker Selection Guidelines (New 5/12/2017)
- CLE Program Co-Sponsorship Memo (1/25/11)
- Section Diversity Commitment (Updated 5/12/2017)
- Former Section Chairs (Updated 6/1/2019)
- Section Officers Committee Liaison Responsibilities
- Award Committee Guidelines
- House of Delegates Report
- Committee Chair Manual (2018)
Brownfields Task Force
- Alaskan VCA Decision and Order (July 2016)
- 2015 BCP Amendments
- Draft Voluntary Cleanup Program Guide (2002)
Program Archive
Program Materials & Webinars
- COVID-19’S Impact on Environmental & Energy Law Practice Dialogue with the USEPA, NYSDEC and NYCDCP-April 16, 2020
- 2020 Annual Meeting Agency Update Jan 30, 2020
- 2017 8th Annual Oil spill Symposium – June 7, 2017
- 2017 Annual Meeting – January 27, 2017
- 2016 Fall Meeting – October 14-16
- 2016 Annual Meeting Program – January 29, 2016
- 2015 Fall Meeting – October 2-4, 2015
- 2015 Legislative Forum – May 6, 2016
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