Buying a commercial site with contamination history, building near a wetland, defending a Clean Water Act enforcement action, or planning a brownfield redevelopment in New York? The firms below are the established environmental counsel in the city — boutique specialists and BigLaw groups that handle CERCLA, RCRA, SEQRA, and DEC permitting every week.
Updated April 24, 2026
New York businesses retain environmental counsel for four recurring reasons: a real estate transaction has surfaced contamination or vapor intrusion concerns; a state DEC or federal EPA enforcement notice has landed; the project triggers SEQRA review or a CEQR analysis from the City Planning Commission; or a Brownfield Cleanup Program application needs to be filed to capture New York's tax credits. The right firm is the one whose typical matter looks like yours — transactional, regulatory compliance, permitting, or litigation.
New York's environmental practice splits into two camps. Boutique firms — Sive, Paget & Riesel and Beveridge & Diamond — focus exclusively on environmental work and run the bulk of Superfund litigation, NYSDEC enforcement defense, and complex permitting in the city. The full-service tier — Carter Ledyard & Milburn, BCLP, Greenberg Traurig, Latham & Watkins, O'Melveny — handles environmental work as part of larger real estate, M&A, and corporate matters where environmental diligence and risk allocation are deal-critical.
The biggest local issues in 2026: PFAS regulation under both EPA's CERCLA hazardous-substance designation and NYSDEC's drinking-water standards; the post-Sackett wetlands jurisdiction shifts; battery storage facility siting under Article VIII; commercial-to-residential conversion projects triggering environmental review; and ongoing Hudson River, Gowanus, and Newtown Creek Superfund work. Get counsel involved at the LOI or pre-application stage — environmental risk is far cheaper to allocate before signing than to litigate after closing.
Cost depends sharply on whether the matter is transactional diligence (often capped fees of $25,000-$75,000), regulatory compliance counseling (hourly), permitting (mixed flat plus hourly), or litigation (hourly with budget caps). Most NY environmental counsel will scope your matter at intake and quote a realistic budget range.
New York City-based environmental boutique. Deep bench in CERCLA/Superfund, NYSDEC enforcement, brownfield redevelopment, SEQRA, and Clean Water Act litigation. The firm referenced by other NY firms for the hardest environmental matters.
National environmental boutique with a strong NYC office. Air and water quality, brownfield redevelopment, regulatory compliance for power, manufacturing, and infrastructure clients. Frequently retained on multi-state environmental compliance programs.
Founded 1854. Environmental and land use group with deep City Hall and state agency experience. High-profile work on the World Trade Center site, Hudson Yards, and the No. 7 subway extension. Strong on rezonings, CEQR, and SEQRA-driven projects.
Full-service BigLaw firm with a substantial NYC environmental group. Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, CERCLA, RCRA, and Superfund work. Often paired with the firm's real estate and corporate practices on complex transactions involving contaminated property.
Trans-Atlantic firm with a New York environmental litigation practice. Frequently engaged on large-scale public and private projects with environmental concerns, including infrastructure, energy, and real estate developments.
Transactional environmental diligence on a single-site acquisition. $15,000-$50,000 for a Phase I review, plus $25,000-$75,000 for the legal risk allocation work in the purchase agreement. RWI carriers expect a clean Phase I; suspect findings push diligence into Phase II at additional cost.
Brownfield Cleanup Program application and oversight. $50,000-$200,000 in legal fees over the life of a project. The tax credits available under New York's BCP — particularly in environmental zones and for affordable housing projects — typically far exceed legal costs.
NYSDEC or EPA enforcement defense. $75,000-$500,000+ depending on complexity. Administrative consent orders settle faster and cheaper than Part 622 hearings or federal court litigation.
SEQRA / CEQR review for a NYC development. $25,000-$150,000 for legal work supporting an EAF or EIS process. Larger projects with public hearings and challenges can run higher.
CERCLA / Superfund cost-recovery litigation. $300,000-$5M+ depending on the size of the site, the number of PRPs, and whether the matter reaches allocation trial. Most major NYC Superfund matters (Gowanus, Newtown Creek) are multi-year, multi-party allocations.
Phase I ESA + legal risk review for a transaction: 3-6 weeks. Phase II adds 4-10 weeks if drilling, sampling, or vapor assessment is needed.
Brownfield Cleanup Program acceptance to Certificate of Completion: typically 18-36 months for a developed site. Tax credits are claimed in the year of COC issuance.
SEQRA review for a typical NYC project: 6-15 months for an EIS; 2-4 months for a negative declaration on smaller projects.
DEC permit application processing: 3-9 months for routine permits; up to 18 months for major modifications or contested matters.
Superfund cost-recovery litigation: multi-year. PRP allocation matters at Gowanus, Newtown Creek, and Hudson River sites typically run 5-12 years from first PRP letter to final allocation.
Tell us briefly about the matter. We route a confidential request to the best-fit NYC environmental firm in our directory.