Practice Areas
Industries
Bar and Court Admissions
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of Pennsylvania
Education
  • Pace University School of Law, J.D., Environmental Law Certificate
  • University of Vermont, B.A., History

Frances B. Stella, Member

973.403.3149 · 973.618.5549 Fax · fstella@pagconcepts.com

Chair, Environmental and Land Use Practice

Frances Stella has over 25 years of experience in federal and state environmental litigation, site remediation and environmental regulatory compliance and permitting, counseling in real estate redevelopment and transactions. Her environmental practice includes handling CERCLA, RCRA, CWA and associated state laws and regulations, including New Jersey Spill Act and ISRA claims and compliance issues, NYSDEC and NYSDOH site remediation and compliance issues, natural resource damage claims, cost recovery/contribution litigation and mediation, environmental insurance coverage litigation, environmental enforcement defense, defense of toxic torts, asbestos and vapor intrusion claims, and government compliance environmental investigations and audits. She handles site remediation negotiations with both state and federal environmental agencies and contracts with and supervises environmental consulting firms to develop and implement remedial activities in her role as Common Counsel for PRP groups at Superfund sites and for property owners and redevelopers.

Named to New Jersey Super Lawyers in 2020 and 2021 and The Best Lawyers in America© in 2020 and 2021, Frances is a frequent speaker and writer on legal environmental issues.  Additionally, she was named in 2009 as a Women of Influence in Real Estate by Real Estate New Jersey and was also profiled as an Executive Woman in Business by the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal in 2010. She is a Master of the Justice Stewart Pollock Environmental American Inns of Court.

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Notable Matters
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  • Common counsel for PRP Group at the Caldwell Trucking Superfund Site in Fairfield, New Jersey
  • Common counsel for PRP Group at the Barceloneta Landfill Superfund Site in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
  • Counsel for newspaper publisher in defense of EPA’s ADR cost recovery claims for Passaic River sediment cleanup
  • Counsel for property owner of a New York City School in defending vapor intrusion toxic tort suits by students and teachers, and coordinating a Brownfield Cleanup Program remediation of school with NYSDEC and NYSDOH with long-term vapor intrusion mitigation systems
  • Counsel for large oil company and petroleum marketing companies on various facets of environmental compliance related to gas stations’ operations and remediations in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
  • Counsel for large oil company and petroleum marketing companies on USEPA UST compliance enforcement actions in New York and New Jersey
  • Counsel for real estate developers on all facets of environmental compliance for redevelopment of former industrial site to multifamily housing projects
  • Defended commercial real estate property manager in numerous asbestos toxic tort claims in New York City and New Jersey
  • Representing commercial real estate property manager in toxic tort claim with respect to fire suppression system testing
  • Counsel for metal racking manufacturer on air violations and modification of Title V permit
  • Negotiated settlement with NYSDEC for past costs and agreement to take over future remediation of legacy industrial site in NY
  • Counsel for property owner and property manager of buildings surrounding Ground Zero in defense of building service personnel injury claims arising from alleged contamination resulting from the World Trade Center Terrorist attacks
  • Counsel for environmental consultants to EPA in an EPA-led clean-up of a New Jersey Superfund site in defense of property owner’s claims for property value diminution and contamination stigma damages attributable to errors and omissions by the consultant in its conduct of the federal cleanup
  • Counsel to purchaser of a Newark, NJ hospital with respect to its assumption of an ongoing environmental remediation at the purchased hospital property
  • Assessed environmental conditions and counseled national company that purchased subdivided contaminated site for the purpose of leasing solar energy assets on contaminated property
  • Handled negotiation involving an incentive project to install a P4P Combine Heat and Power energy service for a university in New Jersey
  • Handled negotiations to resolve Title V Air Permitting enforcement action against oil company
  • Defended former tenant, which historically conducted manufacturing operations at landlord’s property, to defeat former landlord’s efforts to secure NJDEP re-opener of a No Further Action determination in order to assert New Jersey Spill Act claims
  • Counsel for New York foundry on Federal and State civil and criminal enforcement actions, obtained all necessary operating permits including Title V and RCRA permits
  • Counsel property owners on NJ Spill Act and ISRA site remediation compliance under New Jersey LSRP program, NYSDEC programs, and PA ACT II
Insights
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icon Press Releases, August 19, 2021
Seventeen Brach Eichler Attorneys Included in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

Six Brach Eichler Attorneys Included in “Ones to Watch” – Two New to the List!

icon Press Releases, March 23, 2021
17 Brach Eichler Members Included in 2021 New Jersey Super Lawyers

Twelve Attorneys also Named to New Jersey Rising Stars List This Year

icon Articles, March 1, 2019
Real Estate Spotlight

RealEstate New Jersey

Blog
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Environmental & Land Use Blog  May 18, 2021
NJDEP Adopts Amendments to the Remediation Standards
Environmental & Land Use Blog  February 9, 2021
NJDEP Extends Remedial Timeframes
Environmental & Land Use Blog  March 31, 2020
COVID-19 Crisis: New Jersey Relaxes Open Public Records Act Rules
Environmental & Land Use Blog  December 18, 2019
New York Prohibits 1,4-Dioxane from Household and Personal Products
Environmental & Land Use Blog  November 27, 2019
Governor Cuomo Vetoes Environmental Legislation
Environmental & Land Use Blog  September 17, 2019
Governor Murphy Signs Site Remediation Reform Act Changes
Environmental & Land Use Blog  April 17, 2019
NJEDA Approves Creation of Brownfields Loan Program
Environmental & Land Use Blog  April 4, 2019
Governor Murphy Signs Stormwater Legislation Into Law
Environmental & Land Use Blog  December 26, 2018
NJDEP Changes Remediation Investigation Public Notification Requirements
Environmental & Land Use Blog  December 21, 2018
NJDEP Announces Updated Pesticide Remediation Technical Guidance
Environmental & Land Use Blog  December 12, 2018
NJDEP Posts Expired UST Registrations
Environmental & Land Use Blog  August 17, 2018
“NJ Expands MLUL Definition of “Interested Party”
Environmental & Land Use Blog  May 25, 2018
Governor Murphy Signs Clean Energy Legislation
Environmental & Land Use Blog  March 9, 2018
Housing Decision Likely to Have Impact On All NJ Municipalities
Environmental & Land Use Blog  January 18, 2018
NJDEP Announces Adoption of New Ground Water Remediation Standards
Environmental & Land Use Blog  December 27, 2017
The New Jersey Appellate Division Invalidates NJDEP’s ISGWQC for PFNA
Environmental & Land Use Blog  November 20, 2017
Happy Thanksgiving!
Environmental & Land Use Blog  September 21, 2017
NJDEP Updates Soil Remediation Standards for 19 Compounds