Christopher J. McAuliffe

Chris represents developers, lenders, equity investors, utilities, and independent power producers in connection with the environmental and land use aspects of development, financing, acquisition, and disposition of energy and infrastructure projects. Chris also advises clients on environmental matters arising in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) involving natural gas, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and battery storage alternative energy projects.

Chris advises clients on the environmental disclosures of publicly traded companies. He also assists in obtaining necessary approvals for projects within the Highlands region of New Jersey, including defending those approvals in administrative and New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division proceedings. Chris has an extensive background in environmental due diligence for the acquisition and sale of assets and companies.

Highlights of Chris’s experience include negotiating one of the first voluntary consent decrees in the utility industry to resolve allegations of noncompliance with new source review (NSR) and prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) requirements. He has represented clients in litigation and regulatory proceedings arising out of land, sediment, and waterbody environmental cleanup sites including the Passaic River and Newark Bay complex.

Chris regularly obtains the environmental approvals clients need for compliance with New Jersey’s Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA). He is often able to develop and implement strategies that do not trigger ISRA’s remediation obligations.

Chris provides environmental compliance assistance for facilities located in multiple states. He has experience in advising and defending clients with respect to permits under the Clean Water Act,, the Clean Air Act’s restrictions on engine manufacturing, and the management and disposal of hazardous waste, as well as Title V, minor source, PSD, and NSR permits under the Clean Air Act and state air pollution control laws.

While in-house counsel, Chris provided legal advice and representation to the company’s electric delivery, gas delivery, and electric-generating business. His job focused on matters arising under environmental, real estate, land use, and intellectual property law and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. He managed a group of lawyers and paralegals who provided environmental, litigation, and employment legal services to the corporation.

Chris is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2011–2015); The Best Lawyers in America (2014); and in New Jersey Super Lawyers (2008–2014). He publishes and speaks on environmental compliance issues and renewable energy.