Overview
Robinson+Cole’s Sustainability Group counsels clients seeking to maximize opportunities and manage risks from climate impacts through adaptation and mitigation. Adaptation strives to change structures and systems in the built environment to address the risks and impacts created by climate change. Adaptation strategies include rebuilding more resilient structures and infrastructure following severe storm events. Mitigation focuses on reducing sources of climate change, such as greenhouse gas and other human-causing emissions, through clean energy, carbon sink, and sequestration projects.
Our Services
Our Sustainability Group supports the development of projects and facilities whose goal is to incorporate resilience metrics for critical infrastructure systems that protect communities and strengthen the resilience of the economy in the face of climate change. In addition, our land use lawyers represent shorefront property owners in various communities in their efforts to secure permits from federal, state, and local officials to rebuild after coastal storms so that the new structures are compliant with current floodplain management policies.
Our Team
Our Sustainability Group members have an extensive understanding of climate change programs and work closely with clients in their efforts to meet climate change policy regulations, including advising on carbon markets and greenhouse gas regulatory compliance as well as land use plans and regulations, including regulatory incentives, in response to climate change. Our land use lawyers counsel clients on land use regulations related to coastal development, including sea level rise, and can easily interpret recent changes in the development of regulation concerning climate change.
Represented shorefront property owner in its application to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for a permit to rebuild a house damaged by Hurricane Irene. Successfully argued that the client's house had predated the passage of coastal management statutes in Connecticut and was thus eligible for a permit under the simpler certificate of permission program.
Secure federal, state, and local permits to rebuild shorefront properties after coastal storms, bringing new structures into compliance with current floodplain management policies.
Represented data center in establishing a program that ensured continuous electric reliability through interconnections to two different utility companies at three separate substations and the installation of on-site backup generation.
Represented municipality in the development a microgrid project, including the negotiation of the power purchase, engineering, procurement and construction, interconnection, and operations and maintenance agreements.
