Wetland Services

Assist clients and their advisors in wetland determinations, jurisdictional and legal determinations and preparation of challenges to wetland determinations. Analysis of client property to determine where wetland and other ecological habitats, attributes and/or impacts may exist.

Design, development and implementation of all components of wetland and habitat mitigation banking. Capabilities to advise clients and their advisors on all relevant issues of mitigation banking including development, regulatory, administrative, legal, sales, marketing, maintenance, monitoring, post-project disposition and public relations. Expert testimony and preparation and legislative support for all phases of mitigation banking.

All phases of client assistance with respect to wetland permitting including federal, state and local requirements, related regulatory approvals such as archeological and historic preservation impacts, mitigation requirements, public policy presentations and other public and stakeholder interface. Preparation and prosecution of litigation to support permit denials where applicable.

All components of litigation and litigation support relative to wetland matters including expert testimony, expert testimony support, deposition and trial preparation, other expert evaluation and actual prosecution of litigation (lead or co-counsel) and witness identification and preparation.

All phases of expert testimony relating to wetlands and similar ecological habitats including issues involving permitting, takings, land valuation, charitable contribution opportunities and valuation, impacts on business and asset values and resources, interface with natural resource damage claims and other related regulatory programs.

Support to clients and their advisors on all relevant land valuation matters including valuation of wetlands and other related habitats, impacts relative to natural resources and damage claims, real estate and corporate asset land improvement opportunities, charitable contribution valuation and tax support opportunities, taking and eminent domain claims as well as opportunities to improve or reduce land appraisals. Interface with appraisal industry and focus on corporate portfolio and community asset valuation matters.

Assistance in preparation of local and state land use and regulatory legislation, regulation and ordinances. Preparation of and actual expert testimony before legislative bodies. Provision of support materials including facts, data and expert opinions relative to legislative decision making and before hearing and appeal boards. Interface and negotiation with legislators and lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels.

"Lead chair" or support role before and with all community (municipal) and public regulatory, legislative and oversight proceedings. Preparation of presentations, testimony, expert testimony and support on behalf of governmental, regulatory, community, not-for-profit and corporate clients at and before public, municipal, community and other similar proceedings.

"Lead chair" or support role in the defense of or prosecution of all taking and eminent domain claims related to wetland and/or habitat identification, permit denials, governmental regulations, proposed public projects and other related land use impacts. Interface between land use, land valuation, zoning and other regulatory actions and identifications.

Extensive experience in liaison, interface, negotiation, regulatory approvals, permitting, legislation support, claims settlement and litigation involving all components of wetland and other related environmental habitats. Corporate interface and other client support with respect to local, state and federal governmental bodies with respect to all regulatory and legal issues involving wetland and other ecological related land use and valuation issues.

Assistance, advice and partnering on the availability of mitigation banking project financing. "Deal-making" and consulting on debt and equity financing arrangements for mitigation banking projects and other forms of environmental trading.

Providing financial, legal and regulatory advice on all components of rules, regulations and activities necessary to effectuate favorable and valuable contributions of land to public and private organizations to obtain charitable contribution benefits. Interface with a multitude of government organizations and not-for-profit groups desirous of accepting land donations. Corporate portfolio review to assist in improved valuation of distressed or underperforming land with ultimate disposition of land to a charitable or governmental agency. Interface with attorneys, appraisers and tax consultants with respect to the regulatory and legal approaches to gain favorable evaluation and tax treatment. Preparation, advising and partnering on land valuation improvements such as mitigation banking to assist in gaining charitable contribution opportunities.

Preparation as a consultant, advisor and partner of exit strategies and land enhancement capabilities relating to private and corporate land portfolios relative to wetland and other environmentally impacted properties. Opportunities for utilization of contaminated and distressed land including for-profit strategies such as mitigation banking, eco-trades and other swapping capabilities as well as charitable contributions for tax enhancement. Review of corporate real estate portfolios for mitigation and valuation opportunities as well as exploration of community and not-for-profit organization interface. Preparation of public relations and goodwill creation strategies.

All components of advice, litigation support and equity-sharing arrangements relative to a multitude of distressed property improvement approaches. Areas include mitigation banking and eco-trading, conversion of contaminated properties to positive for-profit eco-developments and/or combined traditional developable land, interface with appraisers for increased land valuation strategies and project partnering with governmental, community, municipal and not-for-profit organizations for eco-development projects. Litigation support and preparation involving natural resources affected by activities producing real estate and valuation distress.