Environmental Law, Energy & Land Use

Sustainable and renewable energy projects. Alternative fuel facilities. Zoning and permitting. Environmental impact reviews. These are highly technical areas that are constantly evolving with regulatory, technological and financial implications for your business and operations.  Our full-service and multi-disciplinary Environmental Law, Energy & Land Use Practice Group has deep private and public sector knowledge and experience to provide you and your business with insightful counsel on diverse issues including regulatory compliance, enforcement defense, disputes, and transactions.

When you need a legal team to advise you on cutting-edge issues such as waste to energy or high-stakes water enforcement cases pursuant to the Clean Water Act, our Environmental, Energy & Land Use team has the depth and breadth to provide your organization with the specialized knowledge to facilitate your project.

Our Environmental, Energy and Land Use team includes prominent attorneys that are widely recognized not only in Puerto Rico, but also throughout the United States and Latin America for their specialized knowledge in these complex areas:

  • permitting and regulatory matters
  • multi-jurisdictional transactions
  • project siting and development
  • bankruptcy reorganizations
  • assessment, management and disposition of environmental liabilities

Representative Transactions:

  • Acting as counsel to the first-ever 80MW ($750MM) Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) in Puerto Rico in the preparation and filing of the application to obtain this key permit for the RRF, including but not limited to location consultation approvals, air emission and solid waste construction permits, and water franchise authorizations and related litigation at the administrative and judicial levels. The RRF will process 2,100 TPD of waste and convert them in electric energy; recover approximately 100 million TPY tons of ferrous and nonferrous metals per year; create 8,287 direct, indirect and induced jobs during the construction phase and more that 700 direct, indirect and induced jobs during its operation; and avoid the landfilling of 2,100 TPD of solid waste.
  • Acting as counsel in the negotiation and implementation of Power Purchase and Operation Agreements with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and well as permitting matters for WTE, solar and eolic projects.
  • Advise clients in due diligence efforts for the acquisition of energy projects deemed key projects by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority for its compliance with the Puerto Rico Energy Diversification through Sustainable and Alternative Renewable Energy Policy Act.
  • Acted as counsel of a multinational company in the negotiation of contracts for the development of infrastructure and supply of LNG for the client’s use in its efforts to achieve further energy self-reliance and costs reduction.
  • Acted as counsel of investment management firm specializing in event-driven arbitrage strategies on due diligence and development for property in the most sought after beach front location of the Island, the Condado in San Juan Puerto Rico. The proposed project is anticipated to set new construction and development standards in Puerto Rico and to revitalize the area.  This project is one of the few in development in Puerto Rico at the moment.
  • Acted as counsel for multinational company in all permitting, contractual, financing, land use and environmental compliance matters with respect to a solar farm that the company is proposing to build within its premises, including but not limited to Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement and permits. This behind the meter project will enable the client to reduce its energy cost, carbon footprint and reliance on petroleum based fuels.

Recognition:

Members of the Environmental team have been recognized by these noted publications:

  • 2015 Latin America Edition of Chambers & Partners as Notable Practitioners in Environmental Law
  • Best Lawyers® International, an organization with a Board of Advisors comprised of leaders from the world’s leading law firms and General Counsel of Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies, as a Best Lawyer in Puerto Rico for Corporate and M&A  Law (2013-2015)
  • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year Corporate and M&A Law 2014