HeplerBroom

Environmental

We navigate and bring clarity to the complex maze of environmental laws and regulations, including all phases of air, land, and water issues.  And when litigation is necessary, we have the experience based on our defense of numerous enforcement actions and other environmental-related litigation, including mass actions, both in federal and state courts and administrative tribunals.

The relationships we have built with environmental agencies benefit our clients as we work to resolve their compliance and permitting issues effectively and efficiently. We work closely with clients to identify goals and to devise strategies to achieve them. If negotiation is no longer an option, we provide vigorous advocacy in enforcement defense, permit appeals, and proceedings for regulatory relief.

We Know the Issues and Have the Solutions

We advise clients on a wide range of environmental issues, such as:

  • Air permitting and state and federal regulatory compliance counseling
  • Waste matters, including landfill regulatory compliance and enforcement defense, hazardous materials handling, and permitting
  • Water permitting and state and federal regulatory compliance counseling, including POTW regulatory compliance
  • Advising on underground and aboveground storage tank releases and defense of UST appeals
  • Siting and permitting of pollution control facilities for a wide variety of industries, including livestock operations
  • Emissions trading negotiations, agreements, and regulatory approvals
  • Property and asset transactions, including evaluating Phase I, II, and III environmental site assessments, transferring permits and notifications to regulators, identifying and finding solutions to environmental conditions, drafting and negotiating contractual provisions, consulting on site remediation, and securing deed restrictions and other institutional controls to expedite cleanups
  • Participating in environmental regulatory development and securing regulatory relief
  • Asbestos abatement and remediation counseling
  • Private claims based on environmental issues, including common law claims regarding trespass, nuisance, negligence, and cost recovery and contribution

 Regulators Know Us

Our attorneys understand how local, state, and federal environmental agencies operate, and we practice extensively before administrative tribunals, as well as in state and federal trial and appellate courts. We represent the regulated community in the development of environmental legislation and regulations, including in proceedings before the:

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • Illinois Pollution Control Board
  • Illinois Legislature
  • Illinois Department of Natural Resources
  • Illinois Department of Agriculture
  • Missouri Department of Natural Resources
  • Indiana Department of Environmental Management

 We Know the Law

We have extensive experience in issues related to these federal and state laws and their accompanying regulations:

  • Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
  • Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
  • Clean Water Act (CWA)
  • Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
  • Clean Air Act (CAA)
  • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
  • Illinois Environmental Protection Act
  • Missouri environmental statutes
  • Indiana environmental statutes

We Represent Clients With Needs Like Yours

Our clients include:

  • small and large industrial companies
  • electric and water utilities and electric generators
  • mining interests
  • agricultural cooperatives and livestock operations
  • landfills and clean construction or demolition debris (CCDD) fill operations
  • municipalities
  • individuals
  • property developers
  • environmental consultants
  • lenders
  • business and trade associations

Associates

Attorney of Counsel

Bringing Home the Bacon: HeplerBroom Clients Receive $2.5 Million Fee Award
Environmental Attorneys Secure Important Legal Precedent for Farmers

News

Messina and Brown Update Asphalt Pavement Association Members on Handling Inspections and Violation Notices
HeplerBroom Sponsors Environmental Seminar on Land and Waste Regulations
Messina and Brown Attend Industry Day with USEPA and Illinois EPA
HeplerBroom Sponsors Chemical Industry Legislative Day

Events

Messina Updates State Business Group on Key Legislation
Messina to Address Corporate Risk Strategies During Regulatory Shifts at Perrin’s National Environmental Risk & PFAS Litigation Conference
Messina and Brown Update Asphalt Pavement Association Members on Handling Inspections and Violation Notices
Brown to Discuss Violation Notices and Enforcement at Air Seminar
Messina Talks Environmental Risk and Regulation with Premier Defense Counsel Association
Murphy and Brown Discuss Microplastics and PFAS Compliance at Environmental Industry’s Water Seminar
HeplerBroom Environmental Attorneys Update Industry on Possible Illinois Energy Legislation and Air Permitting Issues
Messina Provides Environmental Regulatory Updates to Great Lakes Ports Association
Messina to Speak at Perrin’s Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference
Brown Speaks to Hazardous Materials Managers about Illinois Environmental Updates
Bauer and Brown to Provide PFAS Regulatory Update and Tips to Prepare for Litigation
Bauer and Brown Discuss PFAS Regulations with Illinois Manufacturers
HeplerBroom Co-Sponsors Environmental Air Seminar
Brown to Speak at Air Issues Seminar
Murphy and Messina Featured Speakers at State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Conference
Messina and Brown Speak at State Asphalt Association Meeting
Messina to Discuss U.S. EPA Air Quality Standards with Illinois Manufacturers
Brown to Moderate at Land and Water Conference
Messina to Address American Petroleum Institute on Key Energy Issues
Murphy and Brown to Discuss Environmental Issues at State Bar Conference
Messina Discusses Environmental Justice with Road & Transportation Builders
Messina Facilitates Dialogue Between Wind/Solar Developers and County Boards
Brown Discusses Environmental Regulatory Updates with Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Messina to Talk About Environmental Justice for Missouri Business Organization
HeplerBroom Environmental Attorneys Present Seminar on Environmental Hot Topics
Messina and Martin Present Environmental Webinar to Fuel Industry Group
Messina to Present Continuing Education on Environmental Justice
Messina Discusses Environmental Justice and Air Permits with Chemical Industry Group
HeplerBroom to Host International Conference
Messina and Murphy in Leadership Roles for Bar Association Environmental Program
Environmental Attorneys Present Webinar
Martin, Murphy, and Brown Present Environmental Continuing Education Program
Environmental Attorneys Speak at Chemical Industry Event
Environmental Attorneys Speaking at Annual Conference
Four HeplerBroom Attorneys Speak on Environmental Enforcement
Messina and Martin to Speak at Manufacturing Association’s Environmental Conference
Messina to Speak at Air Quality Management Conference
Messina and Martin to Discuss Environmental Hot Topics at Chemical Industry Seminar
Messina to Speak to Chemical Industry Group about Environmental Issues
Three HB Attorneys Speaking at 18th Annual ISBA Environmental Law Conference
3 HB Attorneys Speak at IDC Synergy Forum

Publications

Brown Publishes Article Updating Illinois Manufacturers on Illinois Pollution Control Board Rulemaking
Brown Published in Illinois Chamber Magazine
Messina Publishes Opinion Piece in Chicago Sun-Times on Particulate Matter Regulations
Brown and Murphy Publish Article in State Bar Environmental Newsletter
Brown and Martin Publish Article on PFAS Investigations at Industrial Facilities
Brown Published in Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Blog
Environmental Attorneys Brown and Martin Publish Article on Hazardous Waste Generation for Illinois Business Magazine
Martin and Brown Publish Article on OSHA's Crystalline Silica Rule
Illinois’ Proposed POWER Act: Implications for AI Data Centers, Developers, and Municipalities
U.S. EPA Restores 2020 Language on Rule Allowing Major Sources to Reclassify as Area Sources
Environmental Justice Uncertainty: Confusion for Illinois Businesses
Illinois Legislation Will Ban PFAS in Numerous Products
Streamlining Environmental Permitting is Part of White House AI Action Plan
Illinois Increases Maximum Civil Penalties for Environmental Violations
PFAS Litigation Part 2: Where, When, and Why
New U.S. EPA Administrator Announces Agency Priorities
Tips for Building a PFAS Defense Strategy
Recent PFAS Updates
USEPA Proposes Adding Over 100 Additional PFAS to Toxics Release Inventory List
PFAS Litigation Part 1: PFAS - What & Who
PFAS Updates in First Half of 2024
Illinois Supreme Court Affirms No Private Rights of Action Exist Under Illinois Environmental Protection Act’s Tank Program
Chevron Deference Overturned by U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. EPA Includes Major Emphasis on PFAS in Its 2025 Budget Request
Illinois Pollution Control Board Moves Forward with PFAS Groundwater Quality Standards
Appellate Court Upholds Illinois Coal Ash Regulations
New U.S. EPA PFAS Air Testing Method Shows Progress Toward Emissions Standards
New Guidance on Best Practices for Internal Investigations
2023’s Second Quarter Filled with Environmental Law Updates
WOTUS and PM NAAQS and PFAS, Oh My! Environmental Highlights in First Quarter 2023
After the Smoke Clears: What’s Next for Those Involved in the Ohio Train Derailment?
Illinois Bans Incineration of PFAS
Changes to Annual Emissions Reports on Published Agenda for Illinois EPA
Illinois Pollution Control Board Adopts First Time-Limited Water Quality Standard
Challenging the Science Behind EPA’s Risk Evaluation for Chrysotile Asbestos
Environmental Justice Becomes Part of Federal Climate Change Policies
PFAS on Illinois EPA’s and U.S. EPA’s Radar
Environmental Attorneys’ Amici Briefs Get It Right
County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund: What Happens Now?
USEPA Announces Revised Interpretation of “Begin Actual Construction” under New Source Review Regulations
Supreme Court: Groundwater Discharges to Navigable Waters Require a Permit When ‘Functionally Equivalent’ to a Direct Discharge
Illinois Pollution Control Board Reconsiders Ruling on Groundwater Management Zones, Affirms Remainder of Order on Coal Ash Violations
USEPA Seeks to Add PFAS to List of Toxic Chemicals
Midwest Generation Seeks Reconsideration of Pollution Control Board Ruling Constricting Effective Period of Groundwater Management Zones to Duration of Active Remedial Work
Illinois Supreme Court Affirms Pollution Control Board’s Decision Regarding Groundwater Monitoring at Clean Construction or Demolition Debris Fill Operations
Illinois Passes New Environmental Legislation in Spring 2019 Session
New USEPA Clean Water Act Guidance on Groundwater Previews Supreme Court Position and Applies in Illinois, Missouri, and 34 Other States
Seventh Circuit Draws a Line on Awards of Injunctive Relief Under RCRA
Illinois Appellate Court Permits Insured to Prove Terms of Missing Policies with Specimen Coverage Forms for the Missing Policy Periods
Madison County Circuit Court Considers Question of Duty, Grants Defendant U.S. Steel Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgment