Environmental Law

Understanding environmental law is critical to successful commercial or industrial endeavors, and real-estate transactions. 

Our team helps clients – corporates and local authorities – navigate the complex regulatory landscape of environmental law.

Our lawyers advise large entities, in the railway, aerospace, and waste management sectors. All of them face significant challenges and business risks related to protected sites and pollution.

Auditing the risks associated with industrial or real estate projects

Acquisitions come with risks. Thorough audits are critical to identify any current or potential environmental issues. During such audits we investigate the target's compliance with environmental law, specifically in the areas of waste, water, urban planning, biodiversity, polluted sites, and energy.  

Our audits also include advice on ISO standards and CSR. In the event of a merger or acquisition, the audit can be used to draft contractual clauses. 

Design and management of industrial sites and protected sites

With proven credentials in energy law, water law, construction law, urban planning law, and protected sites, our team advises clients from the inception of their industrial projects. We help ensure they meet regulatory requirements, negotiate easements and usage limits, and obtain the permits required to start operating (ICPE, polluting emissions, IOTA, etc.). 

We also advise on an ongoing basis:

• To adapt to regulatory changes  
• In the event of accidents and major crises 
• Relationship with the authorities

Sale, shutdown, and conversion of industrial sites

We help clients manage all matters related to the closure, sale, restoration, decontamination, and conversion of industrial sites. Specifically, we advise on administrative procedures, environmental clauses around sale and purchase, project management and monitoring, duty transfers, and the new “third-party requester” mechanism.

Assessing the effect of environmental taxes

In France, there are currently over 10 environmental taxes in place, including eco-contribution; TGAP (for waste, polluting emissions, lubricants, detergents, extraction materials, and biofuels sectors); sector specific taxes in nuclear, oil, electricity, and transport; waste fees; and TIC (internal consumption tax). We help you understand these taxes, their impact on your business, and the changes that regularly affect them. 

Energy and renewable energy

August Debouzy has long-standing expertise in implementing energy production and transport infrastructure projects in France and abroad, including solar power plants, wind farms, and hydraulic installations. 

Waste Management

We support local authorities, businesses, and waste management operators on all legal issues: 

• Public procurement 
• Negotiation and drafting of contracts for collection, transportation, recycling, recovery, trade, and disposal of waste, whether local or international 
• Waste management facilities
• Risk auditing 
• Advice on reuse 
• Producer liability 
• Waste traceability 

Environmental Litigation

We represent our clients in the pre-litigation and litigation phase, as well as during the preparation of experts’ reports and in administrative, civil, and criminal courts.  

Our team specialize in a wide range of fields, including class actions, noise and odor nuisances, pollution, challenges to authorization denials, and environmental liability guarantees.