If your health or your family’s health is threatened by environmental pollution, if your property has been devalued because of toxic substances, talk to an environmental law attorney at the Butler, Vines & Babb law firm in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Environmental law attorneys have made important contributions to protecting and maintaining the beauty of Tennessee and surrounding states. The lawyers at our law firm stay current with environmental law and legislation.
We have achieved results for a number of clients in environmental issues. Our law firm represented a number of marina owners in a case where environmental damage occurred as a result of radioactive pollution from nearby atomic energy plants. This case, Euchee Marina v. Union Carbide, et al, resulted in a significant settlement for our clients
Many people feel they cannot fight back against environmental pollution. It might hurt the local business economy or it might be just too hard to go up against big companies or big government. The truth is governments, businesses and individuals are all better served when the environment is clean. The law provides for legal means to clean up rivers, decrease air pollution, ban toxic substances and insist on compliance with our environmental laws.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was passed in 1970 along with the Environmental Quality Improvement Act, the Environmental Education Act and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main goal was to assure that the environment be protected against both public and private actions that failed to take account of costs or harms inflicted on the eco-system.
The EPA was supposed to keep an eye on and evaluate the environment, conduct research, and work closely with state and local governments to devise pollution control policies. The basic principle of NEPA is to force governmental agencies to consider the effects on the environment of their decisions.
Environmental lawyers have achieved great strides for the environment by using the legal means at their disposal to clean up rivers, decrease air pollution, ban toxic substances, force government and industry to comply with regulations, and even to prod the U.S. to participate in international negotiations on global climate change issues. And environmental law is so firmly established, it is taught as a separate branch of legal studies at most law schools today.
Toxic tort litigation usually involves over-exposure of individuals, property or communities to harmful or deadly chemicals. Groundwater pollution is one of the most common causes of contamination. If you suspect or know of groundwater pollution issues or toxic spills, talk to a lawyer who understands toxic torts and environmental law.
Although we emphasize communication and negotiation in resolving conflicts, litigation is sometimes the only practical means of protecting our clients’ interests.
Our law firm has handled many environmental law cases over the years. If you have questions about your rights and how they can be protected, contact us for a free consultation.
Attorneys with the firm that practice Environmental Law for injured parties include Jim Wright and Bill Vines.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)
TN Dept of Environment & Conservation (www.state.tn.us/environment)