Devoted Guidance From Resourceful Lawyers

Worried about environmental compliance? An attorney can help

On Behalf of | Jun 27, 2017 | Environmental Law

When your business is growing or expanding into new areas, you face a number of hurdles. Whether you’re investing in real estate or producing physical products, you need to consider a lot of different factors. Environmental regulations are one area that can easily get overlooked. Unfortunately, doing so could cost your company money and cause major setbacks to growth. If you are non-compliant with either state or federal environmental standards, you could get fined. You could also be forced to invest in cleanup efforts or finance major renovations to your facility to avoid future issues.

California, as a state, has stricter environmental regulations than federal standards and most other states. From off-gassing issues with consumer products to water table issues from factory run-off, there are myriad ways in which environmental regulations could impact your business. The best way to ensure that your company is complying with all federal and state environmental regulations is to retain the services of an experienced business and environmental law attorney. Doing so will help ensure that all applicable environmental considerations get reviewed before you make an investment.

Environmental laws regulate everything from formaldehyde to lead paint

Perhaps your business is about to purchase and renovate an historic building with numerous apartments. Do you know what the requirements are for lead paint remediation? Have you factored this significant expense into the cost of renovating the building? If not, you could end up exceeding your budget, leaving your company unable to complete the project and rent or sell the units. Skirting the process by working with uninsured or poorly trained professionals could also cause compliance issues.

Similarly, if your business is about to put in new sub-flooring in a space, you need to be aware of critical environmental regulations. Many products that include glues or foams, such as many wood products, may eventually produce formaldehyde gases. Because formaldehyde is a known carcinogen that degrades air quality, California has strict limits on formaldehyde levels in products used in buildings. Failing to comply with these requirements could result in needing to re-do all the work or even in financial liability if a tenant of the building develops certain medical conditions.

Environmental compliance is critical to business success

The best way to ensure that your business complies with all state laws and federal environmental regulations is to work with an attorney who understands these important laws. Once you have a solid understanding of what environmental regulations could impact your project, you can adjust your budget, timeline and expectations accordingly. Failing to do so could end up costing your business much more money in the long run.