Robert L. Burns, JR.

Robert L. Burns, Jr. is a member of the firm's Energy Section and focuses his practice on environmental law and its intersections with energy development, construction, commercial transactions, manufacturing, waste and natural resources issues, including coal, natural gas and other energy areas, including the environmental and developing regulatory framework affecting Marcellus Shale development and operations. He also advises clients regarding the acquisition, environmental permitting and development of renewable and alternative energy facilities, including hydropower, wind and solar projects.

Robert counsels clients regarding the acquisition and financing of natural resource properties including coal, oil and natural gas. Robert also counsels clients with regard to the purchase, sale and remediation of brownfields and other environmentally-impacted and environmentally sensitive properties. He also provides counsel regarding construction and architectural contracts and concerning the purchase and development of "green" buildings. Robert has been certified as an accredited professional under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard issued by the U.S. Green Building Council. Robert has frequently lectured regarding the environmental and regulatory issues associated with Marcellus Shale development and operations.

Robert has recently represented:

• An alternative energy producer regarding permitting, environmental, and energy regulatory diligence concerning the proposed purchase of solar generation project sites in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
• An alternative energy producer regarding administrative litigation before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, and settlement of appeal brought by environmental groups regarding construction stormwater permitting for large solar project site in Pennsylvania.
• An alternative energy producer regarding the acquisition of a solar generation company with a project site in Pennsylvania.
• Several developers and lenders regarding environmental, permitting, land use and energy regulatory diligence regarding the development and financing of multiple proposed wind and solar power facilities in various states including Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Michigan.
• A Pennsylvania energy company regarding the acquisition of a hydropower facility in Pennsylvania located within a dam operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• An alternative energy company regarding environmental and permitting issues associated with the acquisition of two hydropower facilities in Pennsylvania.
• Wind energy companies regarding their wind farm leases in Pennsylvania coal county and in West Virginia.
• A university regarding a  power purchase agreement and the leasing of the roof of an academic building for the installation of a photovoltaic solar system.
• An international metals company regarding its purchase of a quarry site in South Carolina and lease of county-owned property for the location of a preparation plant.
• A manufacturing company regarding the sale of its excess real estate in Pennsylvania and Virginia and historic environmental and title issues associated therewith.
• Manufacturing companies regarding compliance with applicable federal regulations associated with pesticidal products for the development and importation of ultraviolet light bulbs for surface cleaning.
• A natural gas company regarding construction contracts for the construction of a proposed liquified natural gas plant.
• A natural gas company regarding an alleged release of produced water associated with Marcellus Shale development.
• A natural gas company regarding an alleged release of produced water associated with Marcellus Shale development.
• A natural gas company regarding alleged regulatory violations associated with casing of Marcellus Shale wells.
• An industrial company regarding acquisition of a mining company with operations in Kentucky and Tennessee.
• A coal mining company in Montana regarding leasing of its surface real estate assets to a company to plant trees for the generation of carbon credits.
• An industrial company regarding alleged NPDES permit violations in West Virginia.
• A waste management company regarding development of mobile water processing operations for Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
• A financial institution regarding architectural and construction contracts for the design and construction of a new LEED Platinum office tower in Pittsburgh.
• A midstream natural gas company regarding a permit appeal in which petitioners asserted that air source aggregation principles should be applied.
• A wind energy company regarding its wind farm leases in Pennsylvania coal county.
• A coal mining company regarding its mineral leasing program in Pennsylvania.
• A Pittsburgh nonprofit regarding the acquisition, development, financing and construction of a retail and grocery development.
• A midstream natural gas company regarding permitting and land use issues associated with the construction of new pipelines and related compressor stations to serve Marcellus Shale wells.
• An industrial company regarding environmental issues associated with the acquisition of 11 industrial facilities through the United States.
• An industrial company regarding construction issues associated with the development of a water treatment plant to serve the oil and gas industry.
• Mining companies and a natural gas company in a mineral transaction that straightened and simplified a 50-mile boundary between two separately-owned coal reserves in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
• A natural resources company regarding the acquisition of a longwall coal mine in Montana.
• An anthracite coal producer in merger and financing negotiations.
• An industrial company regarding environmental issues and permits associated with the acquisition of an industrial facility in Virginia.
• A Pittsburgh non-profit regarding the acquisition, development, financing and construction of an arts and cultural center.
• An automobile parts manufacturer regarding environmental issues and permits associated with the acquisition of industrial facilities in Indiana and Ohio.
• A REIT regarding environmental issues involved with its purchase of portfolios of multiple properties.
• A developer with regard to construction contracts for significant redevelopment projects in two airport terminals.
• A lender regarding secured credit facilities made to coal mine owners and operators in several states. The purchaser of a Gold LEED certified commercial building constructed on brownfield property.
• The purchaser of golf and ski resort in New York with regard to environmental permitting and regulatory aspects of transaction.
• A western Pennsylvania college regarding construction of new campus buildings.
• A Pennsylvania university regarding architectural contract for development of "green" academic building planned for Silver LEED certification.
• A major municipal sewer authority in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in negotiations with state and local regulators and numerous neighboring municipalities regarding compliance with Clean Water Act mandates concerning sanitary sewer overflows and combined sewer overflows and the development of a sewer assessment program.
• A petroleum refiner in a potential class action regarding allegations of groundwater contamination from its facility and neighboring facilities.
• A maintenance contractor in negotiations with plant owner, the United States Department of Justice and USEPA regarding Clean Air Act violations.

He has consecutively been named to the Pittsburgh Business Times' "Who's Who in Energy" list, a compilation of southwestern Pennsylvania-based key players in the energy industry. Before joining Buchanan, Robert was an associate in another Pittsburgh firm, where he provided environmental counseling, litigation and regulatory and compliance services regarding manufacturing, commercial transactions, financing, bankruptcy, real estate development, historic contamination, landfills, sewers and waste disposal issues. Prior to that, Robert was an associate in two West Virginia-based firms, where he provided environmental counseling, litigation and regulatory services regarding mineral transactions, coal, oil and gas issues, water and air quality, underground storage tanks, electricity deregulation, regulatory stakeholder meetings and disposal of solid waste. While in private practice, he also served as special counsel to the West Virginia Attorney General and the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection from 1997-1998. After graduating from law school, Robert served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Charles H. Haden, II, former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.