Jim Muscato is a partner and his practice focuses on environmental and energy law and litigation. Jim assists clients in environmental permitting, State Environmental Quality Review Act issues, alternative energy project development, pollution cleanup and litigation. Jim counsels clients on complex liability issues and has successfully assisted clients with resolving potential claims and proceedings under state and federal environmental laws, including the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the State Superfund Law and State Navigation Law. He has substantial experience negotiating resolutions of CERCLA cleanups, cost recovery and allocation matters. Jim regularly advises small and large petroleum companies, gasoline station owners, and other entities with pollution cleanup, compliance and re-development issues. Jim has argued cases at both the state and federal level, including argument at the Federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He has been practicing environmental law with the firm since 2002.

In addition to working with clients on compliance and pollution matters, Jim’s practice also involves land-use permitting and development issues for energy projects, including State Environmental Quality Review Act review, Article 10 siting review and energy regulation before the State Public Service Commission. Jim has been involved with the permitting and siting of the largest wind farm project in the Northeast and a number of other wind projects throughout New York State.

Jim is a frequent speaker on issues involving environmental law, including a recent conference on New York State’s Brownfields program. Jim is a member of the New York State Bar Association and is actively involved with the Environmental Law section and the Committee on Hazardous Waste and Enforcement. Jim is also on the Board of Directors for the Albany New Scotland-Whitehall Neighborhood Association.

Jim received his Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School in 2001 and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Albany Law Environmental Journal. Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from State University of New York at Geneseo.

Bar Admissions

New York, 2002
U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 2002

Education

Albany Law School Union University, Albany, New York, 2001, J.D.
Law Journal: Environmental Outlook Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief, 2000 – 2001

State University of New York at Geneseo, Geneseo, NY, U.S., 1998, B.A.
Major: Political Science
Major: Environmental Studies

Legal Assistant Information

Angeline L. Morris, 518-438-9907 x. 234
amorris@youngsommer.com