Stagg Wabnik Law Group has secured significant environmental victories for our clients. We have represented property owners, municipalities, and civic associations in environmental impact litigation involving environmental statutes and regulations, including the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and New York State's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
The firm has also represented clients in matters involving spills under New York's Navigational Law and various issues involving permitting, compliance, hazardous substances, and due diligence for real estate, corporate and commercial transactions.
Environmental and Multidistrict Litigation
We Vigorously Pursue Those Who Are Responsible for Contaminating Our Environment
Dozens of defendants have been named, including the manufacturers of the PFAS family of chemicals and the underlying components used to manufacture AFFF. In addition, the County is pursuing claims against the United States for its use at the Gabreski Airport’s Air National Guard Base. They intend to pursue those responsible for the contamination vigorously.
Aqueous Fire-Fighting Foam Multi-District Litigation
Suffolk County has retained Stagg Wabnik Law Group to represent its interests in lawsuits commenced by current and former residents of the County who seek damages relating to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (“PFOS”) and perfluorooctanoic acid (“PFOA”), found in aqueous fire-fighting foam known as “AFFF.” The plaintiffs in those cases seek damages for personal injuries sustained by exposure and for the loss of property values due to the contamination. In addition, several proposed classes of plaintiffs allege that using AFFF at the Firematics Training Facility in Yaphank, New York, and the Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, New York, contaminated the municipal water delivered to local residents and private wells.
These cases are part of the nationwide complex federal Multi-District Litigation pending in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina after certain cases were removed to federal court pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act.
