Mr. Arthur H. Siegal | Partner

Professional Experience

Arthur is admitted to practice law in Michigan and in all Michigan Federal courts and has successfully represented businesses and individuals in dealing with the environmental impacts of their actions and environmental liabilities relating to their properties for 18 years.

Areas of Emphasis

Environmental Law: Superfund - Liability Resolution and Avoidance/Brownfields Redevelopment 

Arthur has been active in litigating cases relating to environmental liabilities focusing on the federal superfund statute counterpart law, including negotiating one of the first settlements with U.S. EPA applying the EPA Policy for Municipality and Municipal Solid Waste CERCLA Settlements at NPL Co-Disposal Sites.

Arthur has successfully represented: a former lessee of an above-ground storage tank at a "tank farm" facility which was sued by neighboring landowners alleging health problems and property value decline; a number of defendants in a complex multi-party cost-recovery lawsuit filed by an Oakland County landfill operator against companies that allegedly generated wastes disposed of in the landfill; and a plating operation against its insurer to fund the remedial activities required by the U.S. EPA. Arthur successfully defended a mobile home park operator against allegations that it had contaminated nearby  groundwater.

Arthur assists a variety of clients engaged in borrowing and lending against, and selling and purchasing, real estate relating to environmental concerns. This includes evaluating environmental liability and assisting in obtaining MDEQ approval of a number of Baseline Environmental Assessments providing liability protection to purchasers of real estate.

Arthur is well versed, and assists clients with obtaining funding for remedial programs from Michigan's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority program.

Compliance- Hazardous Waste/Air/Water

Arthur focus on issues relating to State licensing and represented clients in both litigation and administrative challenges. He has successfully negotiated with the U.S. EPA and the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality regarding small and large manufacturers' obligations relating to: management of underground storage tanks; handling of hazardous by-products; discharges to the atmosphere; releases to surface water bodies and municipal treatment systems; and their obligations to report various activities to the government.

This has included successfully representing: a local steel mill; an engine remanufacturer; steel fabricator; automotive suppliers; building management companies and a circuit board manufacturer all in various regulations with govermental agencies.

Solid Waste

Arthur has represented a number of solid waste management companies, including two of the three largest companies world-wide, in a variety of matters relating to permitting, operations, licensing, govermental planning as well as municipal contracting for solid waste disposal.

He is intimately acquainted with the Michigan Solid Waste Management part of the Michigan Environmental Code, and the Solid Waste rules as well as the federal regulations adopted pursuant to Subtitle D of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Arthur's knowledge of Michigan's solid waste planning program and, particularly, the solid waste plans of the counties in southeastern Michigan has assisted clients with plan amendments and challenges.

He was an active part of the team which represented Fort Gratiot Sanitary Landfill, Inc. in its successful United States Supreme Court Case, Fort Gratiot Sanitary Landfill, Inc v Michigan Dept of Natural Resources, 112 S CT 2019 (1992).

Arthur drafted an amicus brief on behalf of the Michigan Waste Industries Association and National Solid Waste Management Association in a Michigan Court of Appeals case interpreting the Fort Gratiot case as it applied to intra-state waste flows.

Arthur has negotiated agreements both on behalf of, and with, municipal entities to allow the siting and expansion of landfills, within municipal boundaries.

Oil and Gas Issues

Arthur has represented both mineral developers and landowners in negotiations regarding mineral rights.