Joel’s practice consists of environmental law and governmental affairs. His environmental practice focuses on brownfields redevelopment and the reuse of industrial sites. Joel advises on:
- permit procurement
- permit and enforcement actions
- erosion and sedimentation controls
- environmental assessments and remediation
- litigation
- regulatory compliance
- corporate and real estate transactions
In his government affairs practice, Joel obtains legislative, regulatory, and administrative solutions for clients at all levels of government on legislation, permits, enforcement actions, contracting, and procurement challenges.
As Deputy Secretary for Special Projects at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Joel was involved in permit and enforcement decisions, development of policies, and regulatory initiatives, including:
- trouble-shooting between the Department and the regulated community
- the reuse of industrial sites
- promoting economic development
- managing the implementation of Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Act (Act 2 of 1995)
- writing regulations for the land-recycling program
- representing the Commonwealth in the Republican Governors Association Task Force on CERCLA reform
At The George Washington University Law School, Joel was a member of the Order of the Coif and an associate of the Law Review.
Joel was recently appointed the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), which advises the EPA on domestic and international environmental policy issues. Governor Rendell appointed Joel to a second term on Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Commission, which develops state policy and regulations and adjudicates claims alleging discrimination in housing, employment, and educational opportunities.
Joel is a former member of the Standing Committee on Environmental Law of the American Bar Association (ABA). He is also a past officer in the ABA’s Section on Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law (now SEER).
Joel Bolstein writes about the reuse of industrial sites on his PA Brownfields Environmental Law Blog. Joel is the former Deputy Secretary of the PADEP who helped manage the implementation of PA Act 2, including the development of the Act 2 regulations and technical guidance manual, and he has worked on many Brownfield redevelopment projects since returning to private practice in 1997 at Fox Rothschild. Some of the topics Joel will be covering on the blog include Brownfield success stories, useful tips for completing Brownfield projects, working with PADEP, the MOA between PADEP and USEPA, obtaining federal and state funding, the best ways of working with your local redevelopment authority, new and evolving policies, such as vapor intrusion, navigating the management of fill policy, using Buyer/Seller Agreements and SIA Agreements, deed notices and institutional controls. Readers are invited to submit comments and have a dialog with others interested in Brownfield redevelopment.
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• Named as one of the leading environment attorneys in Pennsylvania, Chambers USA (2008 and 2009)
• Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law, 2008
• Selected as a "Super Lawyer" by Philadelphia Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine (2006 through 2009)
• Excellence in Environmental Achievement Award, Bethlehem Steel Company, 1999
• Award for Excellence, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 1995