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Miriam E. Villani Presents at NYSBA Seminar Focusing on Environmental Law
Miriam E. Villani, a Partner with the Firm, presented a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course “Completing a Successful Transaction Involving Contaminated Property” at the Basics of Environmental Law 2018 seminar.
In her presentation, Ms. Villani discussed how environmental issues or conditions are the focus of most commercial real estate transactions, especially when the current or previous use is manufacturing, dry cleaning, gasoline station, auto body and repair shops, and landfill use. Such uses that result in discharge or runoff of contaminants in the water or air — thereby creating significant economic, environmental, and public health risks — can impact the viability and terms of the deal.
Ms. Villani also pointed out that environmental laws at the federal, state, and local levels impose liability on the former and current property owners. In order to minimize any potential risks associated with the purchase and sale of real property that is environmentally impaired, sellers must make certain disclosures about the property in question, and purchasers must conduct their own due diligence concerning the existence of contamination before closing the deal.
Basics of Environmental Law 2018 was presented across the state between April 12 and April 19 and provided practical information on the structure and procedures of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and other state and federal environmental regulators. The event was sponsored by NYSBA’s Committee on Continuing Legal Education and the Environmental and Energy Law Section.
Ms. Villani concentrates her practice in all aspects of environmental law, including litigation, transactional matters, permitting, and regulatory and compliance proceedings. She is Editor-in-Chief of The New York Environmental Lawyer, a quarterly journal published by the NYSBA, and served as Chair of the NYSBA’s Environmental Law Section.
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