Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Prevent Your Tenant Mix from Turning Your Property into a 'REC'

By Am'lie H. Mailloux
September 29, 2008

Over the past 30 years, an increasing number of properties have been and continue to be classified as having some kind of recognized environmental condition (a “REC”). The REC classification arises from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) crackdown over the past few decades to ensure that property owners and the parties who are responsible for causing the contamination actually share in the cost and burden of the remediation process (42 U.S.C. ”9601 to 9675 (“CERCLA”).

In an effort to provide a road map or plan to address the issues, the EPA continues to further develop its regulations to make sure that the responsible parties are being held responsible (“the polluter pays”). The EPA has developed a methodology enabling various “innocent” parties to limit their liability regarding a contaminated property. This approval is embodied in the so-called 2002 Brownfields Amendments to CERCLA. See Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (2002) Pub. Law 107-118. In many cases, Brownfields protections have proved to be an incentive to development as a particular contaminated property might not be a candidate for redevelopment if these guidelines were not in place. The methodology created by the EPA, while a vast improvement toward targeting the responsible parties, still places a significant burden on a landowner and prospective purchaser wishing to limit their environmental liability.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment Image

On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office Image

A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.