Dan Chorost, Principal

Dan graduated from New York University School of Law in 1996. His practice at SPR includes a wide variety of environmental review matters, environmental litigation, and environmental compliance and auditing. Dan's clients include state and local governmental bodies, industrial and commercial entities, as well as individuals, local environmental organizations, and cultural institutions.

Dan counsels clients at every stage of the development process, from site due diligence and acquisition through remediation, permitting, and any resulting litigation. He has significant experience navigating the environmental review process under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), on behalf of both private developers and reviewing agencies such as the Empire State Development Corporation. In this capacity, Dan advises on the required level and scope of environmental review, and interfaces with environmental consultants and local counsel on the preparation of key documents such as environmental impact statements and agency SEQRA or NEPA findings.

After project approvals are secured, Dan also defends the project if opponents raise a legal challenge. Among other projects, Dan worked on the environmental reviews for, and the subsequent litigations concerning, the Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn (won on appeal), Columbia University's expansion in Manhattanville (litigated successfully through the Court of Appeals, New York's highest court), and the renovation of the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue (won on appeal). He also worked on the environmental review for the proposed NASCAR Speedway complex on Staten Island.

With his broad litigation background, Dan also represents clients on a wide variety of environmental and commercial disputes before federal, state, and local trial and appellate courts and administrative bodies, including both civil and criminal matters. For example, Dan litigates complex Superfund matters (CERCLA or its state counterpart) pertaining to sites throughout the region, including New Jersey's Passaic River; has brought RCRA claims alleging imminent endangerment on behalf of municipal water suppliers and building tenants; and has worked on several Navigation Law cases arising out of petroleum spills. He also was part of a team that successfully challenged rules promulgated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, whereby the agency illegally sought to extend its wetland jurisdiction over more than 700,000 acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area and elsewhere. In addition to litigation, Dan has resolved numerous environmental and commercial disputes through alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration.

Dan assists clients in ensuring compliance with applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and permits pertaining to discharges to water (SPDES and NPDES), petroleum bulk storage (MOSF), discharges to air (Title V), Facility Response Plans, spill control (SPCC) plans, as well as homeland and port security measures. He oversees audits of hazardous waste, water, air, and chemical and petroleum storage programs. Dan also advises clients on complying with "green building" requirements and taking advantage of available incentives.

During law school, Dan worked at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and later here at SPR. In 2002, Dan rejoined SPR after practicing as a litigator at both Schulte Roth & Zabel, where he focused on securities and real estate matters, and Squadron Ellenoff Plesant & Sheinfeld (now Hogan Lovells) where he worked on trademark and antitrust matters.

Between 1999 and 2000, Dan served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jorge A. Solis of the United States District Court in Dallas, Texas.

Areas of Practice:

Environmental Law and Litigation
General Litigation
Development and Land Use

Affiliations/Activities:

Dan is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey, and was a member of the Environmental Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York between 2002 and 2005.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Junior State Foundation, which encourages political awareness and activity among high school students, and is the largest student-run organization in the United States.

Published Works:

• "Green Buildings: Emerging Laws and Practices," Practical Law Journal, May 2011.
• When Regulatory Universes Collide: Environmental Regulation in the Workplace, 13 N.Y.U. Environmental Law Journal 613 (2005) (co-authored with Daniel Riesel of SPR).
• "Initiatives Hit Workplace Violations With Environmental Laws," New York Law Journal, September 7, 2005 (co-authored with Daniel Riesel).

Education:

• New York University School of Law (J.D., 1996)
• Rutgers College, Rutgers University (B.A., 1992, with honors)