Chris Foster heads the firm's Environmental Group in the Boston office, where his practice focuses primarily in the areas of transactional and regulatory environmental compliance, environmental permitting, land use issues, and environmental litigation.
Mr. Foster has assisted national and international business interests with environmental due diligence, negotiating representations, warranties, and indemnities in numerous large transactions, including deals in the paper, fuel oil, automotive, chemical, plastics, pesticide, and metal finishing businesses. Following these transactions, he often continues to represent these and other clients as they develop or review compliance auditing, cost recovery, and corporate environmental policy. Moreover, he regularly assists clients in developing defense and allocation strategies, permitting strategies, dispute resolution strategies, as well as in crisis management, emergency response, and business continuity planning.
Mr. Foster is involved in several major brownfield projects and has assisted clients with funding and liability protection. These projects typically involve a public/private partnership. He also assists clients with implementing environmental management systems and securing recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency for voluntary environmental improvements.
Professional Associations
- Boston Bar Association, 1993 to present, Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association, 1993 to present, Member
- Connecticut Bar Association, 1987 to present, Member
- Massachusetts Oilheat Council, 1993 to present, Associate Member
- New England Fuel Institute, 1993 to present, Associate Member
- Massachusetts Chemical Technology Alliance, 1995 to present, Counsel to the Board
Experience
- Represented transportation company in defense of an environmental class action trial in Massachusetts state court, one of the very few class action trials resulting from an environmental incident and, to our knowledge, the first environmental class action ever tried in Massachusetts. The case involved claims for property damage resulting from an oil spill in Buzzards Bay in 2003. The class was made up of approximately 1,000 residents from the Town of Mattapoisett who alleged their shoreline property was oiled as a result of the spill. The March 2010 trial, which lasted two weeks, addressed the claims of eight individual class members. The jury ultimately awarded a very favorable result for the client. The results of these initial cases were meant to provide the parties with a basis to resolve the remaining claims.
- Representation of petroleum transporters with respect to employee benefits and ERISA matters, including multiemployer plan issues.
- Representation of petroleum transporters with respect to union contracts, labor negotiations, and employment mediation and arbitration.
- Representation of petroleum transportation company with respect to nuisance claims by abutters associated with truck noise and vehicle emissions.
Publications & Presentations
Presentations
- "Staying in Compliance with Today's OSHA Dust Regulations," copresented with Kirstin Etela (12/2008) at Massachusetts Chemistry and Technology Alliance Dust Workshop
News
4.07.09, Robinson & Cole Attorneys Present Webinar to Fuel Industry