Stearns Weaver Miller has demonstrated a peerless grasp and mastery of legal processes and associated project management.
- Chambers USA 2023
Overview
Florida’s natural environment presents both unique challenges and unique opportunities. Today, the same characteristics that led Ponce de Leon to name this land “La Florida”—abundant flora and fauna, vast water resources, and beautiful springs—present development constraints and spur growth by attracting new residents and tourists.
Our environmental and natural resources team works seamlessly statewide on some of the biggest projects in Florida today. Our team members have worked at high levels within state regulatory agencies and local governments. This gives us uncommon insight as we work with them to accomplish our clients’ goals. We also have government affairs capabilities to engage with elected officials and governmental staff in the development of new laws, regulations, and policies. And when environmental regulations impinge upon our clients’ property rights, we stand ready to protect them.
We create value for our clients by addressing the full range of environmental and natural resource issues throughout the entire life cycle of a project. We begin where you do—managing environmental risks. We work closely with our real estate practice group to analyze, manage, and reduce the environmental risks of dealing with real estate by conducting thorough and efficient due diligence. We then work to minimize these liabilities in the acquisition of the real estate and to manage the cleanup or redevelopment of contaminated properties.
We also collaborate with clients to think strategically to secure the environmental permits and entitlements they need to move forward with their projects, working closely with our land use and zoning team and complemented by a robust suite of planning and GIS services. We protect clients when their permits and entitlements are challenged in administrative settings or through citizen-suit challenges. We defend clients in regulatory investigations, compliance challenges, enforcement actions, environmental class actions, and toxic torts claims.
Finally, we know that where some see risks, others see opportunities. We have helped clients maximize the value of various natural resources through the extraction, use, and management of those resources. We have also helped clients explore alternative income streams for their properties, such as wetland mitigation banks, species mitigation banks, carbon credit trading, and public-private ecosystem services projects. We partner with our tax practice group to take advantage of incentives to cleanup or conserve properties.
- Administrative Litigation
- Administrative Rulemaking
- Air Quality & Carbon Credit Trading
- Beach Renourishment
- Brownfield Redevelopment
- Coastal Development, Redevelopment, Regulations, Permitting & Compliance
- Conservation Banking
- Conservation Easements, Planning & Incentives
- Consumptive Use & Water Rights
- Contamination, Assessment, Cleanup & Remediation
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Environmental Audits
- Environmental Class Action Litigation
- Environmental Compliance & Enforcement
- Environmental Cost Recovery
- Environmental Due Diligence
- Environmental Litigation
- Environmental Permitting & Regulation
- Ground Water Quality
- Hazardous Waste Regulations, Permitting & Clean up
- Legislative
- Mitigation Banking
- Oil, Gas & Minerals
- Petroleum Regulation, Permitting & Compliance
- Public-Private Water Partnerships
- Redevelopment of Contaminated Sites
- Solid & Hazardous Waste
- State-Owned & Sovereign Submerged Lands
- Stormwater Management
- Surface Water Quality & Credit Trading
- Threatened, Endangered & Listed Species
- Toxic Torts
- Transactional/Land Acquisition
- Underground Storage Tank Regulation & Clean up
- Utilities
- Vested Rights
- WasteManagement & Storage
- Water Resources Planning
- Water Use Regulation, Permitting & Litigation
Land Development News Update, Publications:
What's Developing | Fall 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2024|Jeffrey A. Collier, Jacob T. Cremer, Felicia Kitzmiller, Erin J. Tilton
Events:
The Live Local Act: The Legislature's Attempt to Kick-Start Large Scale Affordable Housing Projects
Florida Bar, City, County and Local Government Law Section |November 2024|Nicole Neugebauer MacInnes
In the Media:
Tampa developer plans first-of-its-kind project in Wimauma
Tampa Bay Business Journal|September 2024
Firm Announcements:
Amy McPherson Joins Land Development, Zoning & Environmental Group in Tampa as a Shareholder
September 2024
Land Development News Update, Publications:
What's Developing | Summer 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2024|Reggie L. Bouthillier, Fatou Calixte, Jacob T. Cremer, Susan L. Stephens, Erin J. Tilton, Felicia Kitzmiller
Publications:
Florida Attorney General’s Office Issues Informal Opinion Clarifying Zoning Districts that Qualify for Development under the Live Local Act
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2024|Jacob T. Cremer, Nicole Neugebauer MacInnes, Brian J. McDonough
Firm Announcements:
Shareholder Patrice Boyes Joins Land Development, Zoning & Environmental Group in Tampa
August 2024
Events:
Florida Chamber 38th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School
July 2024