Legal Blogs and Updates

  • Posts by Agnes Antonian
    Partner

    As Chair of Connell Foley LLP's Environmental Law practice group, Agnes Antonian draws on her engineering background to address a broad range of complex environmental litigation and land use matters. Her environmental litigation ...

Governor Murphy Enacts “Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act”

On March 18, 2019, Governor Murphy signed the Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act. This act allows towns and counties to create municipal stormwater utilities, which would impose fees on property owners to pay for upgrades to local stormwater infrastructure. The intended purpose of ...

When it Rains it Pours: NJ Considers Enacting "Rain Tax"

The New Jersey Assembly and Senate have approved a bill titled the Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act[1], which is designed to reduce flooding and water pollution. If enacted, this bill would allow counties and municipalities to create stormwater utilities, which will have the ...

Questions Continue to Swirl Around Groundwater and its Impact on the Waters of the US

The Supreme Court of the United States has asked the Trump Administration to weigh in on the question of whether the Clean Water Act applies to pollutants migrating through groundwater before ultimately reaching “waters of the United States.” This issue is being closely monitored by ...

Redefining Water: New Proposed Rule for Waters of the United States

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have proposed a revised definition of “waters of the United States” that is intended to clarify, streamline and limit which waters are subject to federal regulations.

Specifically, the ...

Coal Ash Rule Relaxation

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized an initial set of revisions governing coal ash disposal for utilities and power plant operators.  Utilities and power plants will now be allowed to have more time to close coal ash ponds and landfills, and delay the ...

Stormwater Bill to Create New Utilities, New Fees

In an effort to address significant stormwater flooding and pollution in the state, on June 21, 2018 the New Jersey Senate passed bill S-1073, which will allow for broad local regulation of stormwater runoff, including creation of stormwater utilities and necessary infrastructure. The ...

EPA Issues Final 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

On May 2, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Final 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan (Final 2016 Plan). Pursuant to the Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA must publish a plan for new and revised effluent guidelines every two years. EPA is also required under the CWA to ...

Governor Murphy Signs Bill Advancing Renewable Energy Agenda

On May 23, 2018, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that boosts the Garden State’s renewable energy economy.  Directly impacting utilities as well as the renewable energy sector, the bill requires that by 2020, 21 percent of the energy sold in New Jersey must be from Class I ...

Murphy Orders DEP to Provide Guidance on Environmental Justice

On April 20, 2018, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order No. 23 (the “Order”), which strengthens the administration’s commitment to protecting the environment while emphasizing the importance of environmental justice. Environmental justice focuses on ensuring residents of ...

Governor Murphy Moves Quickly to Strengthen Environmental Protections

In Governor Phil Murphy’s first month in office, the new administration has wasted no time addressing environmental and energy policy with an emphasis on combating climate change. Governor Murphy has already signed executive orders directing New Jersey to reenter the Regional ...

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