Steven Russo

Steven is an experienced litigator with over eighteen years of experience prosecuting and defending cases in New York State Courts, United States District Courts and administrative proceedings before the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Public Service Commission, and the Board of Education. Steve specializes in federal and New York environmental law and litigation, as well as general commercial and employment litigation. He has successfully defended and prosecuted complex Superfund cost recovery actions and related actions alleging imminent and substantial endangerment under RCRA, as well as toxic tort claims, oil spill litigations under the New York Navigation Law and citizen suits under the Clean Water Act and other federal statutes. He is also an expert in the field of environmental review and Environmental Impact Statements, guiding clients through the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) processes and successfully defending those reviews in New York State and federal court. Steven has also written and lectured widely on federal citizen suits, and has successfully defended a number of such challenges brought over the past fifteen years. In addition to litigation, Steven counsels clients on environmental issues in real estate transactions and Brownfields redevelopment, including negotiating and obtaining approval of Brownfield Cleanup Agreements under New York State’s Brownfields Cleanup Act, overseeing consultants in hazardous material and oil spill site cleanups and assisting in obtaining City approvals for redevelopment of sites with “E” designations under the New York City Zoning Resolution. He also helps ensure ballot access through representation of New York State candidates and committees concerning campaign finance and other requirements of federal and New York state election law. Recent matters that he has handled include: Representation of the City of New York in connection with the EIS for the Willets Point Redevelopment Project; Representation of the Long Island Power Authority in connection with the EIS for a power line transmission project and representation in the related challenge to that project; Successful defense to multiple challenges to the Riverside South project in Manhattan; Representation of businesses impacted by petroleum and hazardous contamination issues in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Successful defense of a number of high profile toxic tort lawsuits; Successful defense of a number of student expulsion and employment discrimination challenges brought against Yeshiva University. Steven graduated from the Columbia University School of Law in 1989, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Articles Editor of the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law. Before joining Sive, Paget & Riesel, he served as Deputy Assistant Chief, Environmental Law Division of the Office of the New York City Corporation Counsel where, among other things, he was responsible for the ongoing Clean Water Act permitting of the City’s sewage treatment plants. Steven is an experienced litigator, having tried cases in New York State Courts, United States District Courts and administrative proceedings before the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Public Service Commission, and the Board of Education. With a specialization in Environmental and Commercial Law, Steven represents corporations, individuals, local municipalities and government agencies and has significant experience with toxic tort, Superfund, SEQRA, employment law and litigation. In addition to litigation, Steven counsels clients on environmental issues in real estate transactions and Brownfields redevelopment, including negotiating and obtaining approval of Brownfield Cleanup Agreements Under New York State’s Brownfields Cleanup Act, overseeing consultants in hazardous material and oil spill site cleanups and assisting in obtaining City approvals for redevelopment of sites with “E” designations under the New York City Zoning Resolution. He also provides advice to private and public clients regarding environmental impact review under the National Environmental Policy Act and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. He also helps ensure ballot access through representation of New York State candidates and committees concerning campaign finance and other requirements of federal and New York state election law. Steve also coordinates recruitment for the firm.