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Area of Emphasis
Joe Reinhart is a shareholder and chairman of the Natural Resources Development Group of Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C. His environmental practice focuses on areas of environmental law that concern oil and gas well development, Marcellus Shale, coal bed methane, coal mining, non-coal mining, and alternative energy. In addition, Mr. Reinhart’s practice includes the application of state and federal laws governing the disposal of produced waters and other wastes generated by gas, coal and electric utility industries. Mr. Reinhart also routinely counsels clients concerning risk-based remediation programs, such as Pennsylvania’s Act 2 Program, particularly as they relate to wastes derived from fossil fuels.
Mr. Reinhart has 25 years of experience with environmental law. He has represented industrial and commercial clients in many complex permitting and enforcement matters under federal and state laws. Mr. Reinhart has negotiated consent orders with agencies to resolve liabilities associated with reclamation and remediation obligations under SMCRA, CERCLA, RCRA, the SDWA, the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, the Pennsylvania Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act and the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. He has negotiated environmental provisions in business transactions involving coal mines, petroleum facilities and industrial properties across the United States.
Mr. Reinhart frequently lectures on new developments in environmental law and has provided comments on behalf of industry to agency regulatory initiatives. His articles include the potential application of “brownfield" limited liability principles to the redevelopment of closed mine sites. Beginning in 2003, and annually thereafter, Mr. Reinhart has been appointed by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary McGinty and Acting Secretary Hanger to the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC). He has served as chairman of the Residual Waste Subcommittee of SWAC. In addition, Mr. Reinhart is a Trustee of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, where he presently serves on its Law Student Scholarship Committee. Mr. Reinhart has also provided testimony to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Pennsylvania Senate concerning stream redesignations under the Clean Water Act.
Background
Mr. Reinhart earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1984. He joined the law firm in 1988 and served as chairman of the Environmental Health and Safety Services Group for 8 years.
Memberships and Affiliation
Mr. Reinhart is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the American Bar Associations. Mr. Reinhart has been listed in the Environmental Section of The Best Lawyers in America® since 2003. Since 2005, he has been ranked among Pennsylvania’s top environmental lawyers in Chambers USA’s America’s Leading Business Lawyers. Mr. Reinhart has also been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s top lawyers since 2004, according to an annual survey published in Philadelphia magazine.
Publications/Presentations
- Reinhart, Joseph, and Christman, Stacia, “Application of State Brownfields Laws and Principles to the Mining, Gas and Electric Utility Industries," 21 Energy & Min. L. Inst. Ch. 3, 2000.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Municipal and Residual Waste Compliance," Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, April 2008.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Environmental Considerations in Developing Alternative Energy Projects," American Planning Association, Annual National Conference, April 15, 2007.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act," presented on September 14, 2006 as part of a presentation hosted by the British-American Business Council, entitled Legal Policy and Economic Drivers of Alternative Energy.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Source and Development of Act 2 Standards," Environmental Law Forum, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, PBI No. 2006-4215.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Solid Waste Update," Environmental Law Forum, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, PBI No. 2001-2708.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Elements of an Ideal State Brownfields Program," presented on April 15, 1999, in San Antonio, Texas, as part of a course hosted by Risk Assessment Corporation entitled, Calculating and Understanding Risk from Chemicals Released to the Environment.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Mining Issues Update," Environmental Law Forum, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, PBI No. 1997-1232.
- Reinhart, Joseph, “Pooling and Unitization in Pennsylvania: An Overview," Mineral Resource Development Law, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, PBI No. 1984-276.
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