Environmental permitting is a complex, mandatory step in virtually any major construction project. This is particularly true of linear construction projects. Whether you are planning to build a pipeline, electric substation, a strip mall or a warehouse, you must begin by identifying the permits and approvals required to build the project. The attorneys of Rutter & Roy have extensive experience in this process.

We have assisted clients of every size in navigating complex permitting processes, and with a minimum expenditure of time, money and management attention, helped projects emerge ready to break ground. Our seasoned lawyers also handle appeals of issued permits and any notices of violation that may be issued during or after construction.

In keeping with our experience, we take a highly hands-on approach to our permitting work, immersing ourselves in the specifics and documentation preparation from the outset. We help our clients draft permit applications, statements of compliance and other filings as well as reviewing documents for conformity to rules and regulations. We then bolster early drafts, as we would with a legal brief, to ensure that they include all pertinent information required by the applicable rules and case law.

Since appeals are a way of life, it’s more important than ever that attorneys review permit applications and submissions to ensure compliance with applicable rules. Preparation of an application must be handled with a likely appeal in mind, and documents, arguments and information should be developed to both succeed in getting the permit and withstand appeal down the road. In practice, this translates into delivering to the relevant regulatory agency everything it needs to issue a permit while also providing enough information to survive an appeal on solid legal ground.

Rutter & Roy attorneys also understand the critical role of project schedules and in-service dates.  We create permitting schedules and identify risks that may impede construction schedules.

Our attorneys also have strong, longstanding relationships with permitting agencies, such as the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Our goal is to assist our clients in satisfying regulations and to make it easy for permitting agencies to issue the necessary permits and approvals. We often accurately predict which issues an agency will care about, thanks to having shepherded numerous projects through the permitting processes.

Careful attention to detail early in the permitting process helps prevent challenges, expense and headaches later. The ultimate goal, always, is to get the client’s project over the finish line. Rutter & Roy lawyers know from experience that the best way to achieve this is with a solid start.

Contact us today if we may be of service.