Ian A. Shavitz represents clients on a range of environmental, project development, regulatory and policy issues.
Practice & Background
Mr. Shavitz’s environmental and project development practice focuses on advising and representing clients in the development of large-scale infrastructure projects and regulatory programs; litigation in connection with the environmental review and permitting of development projects; and regulatory permitting and compliance under various federal, state, local and tribal environmental, land use and historic preservation laws. Mr. Shavitz’s clients have included state agencies, private corporations, municipalities, developers and Native American Indian tribes. He has advised these clients on a wide variety of projects, including energy, renewable energy (wind and solar), military and defense facilities, resort and gaming, mixed-use commercial and residential developments, highways, bridges, transit facilities, airports, golf courses, water infrastructure and educational facilities.
Mr. Shavitz advises clients on project development, permitting, and completing environmental studies and securing approvals required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Clean Water Act, as well as analogous state laws. He successfully integrates legal experience and expertise into the project planning and development process to reduce delays and project costs by working effectively with project teams, technical experts, government resource agency officials and staff, and, where necessary, members of Congress. For his Native American Indian tribe clients, Mr. Shavitz has assisted in securing required federal, state and local approvals for development projects located on and off tribal lands; advised on the environmental aspects of land-to-trust applications and leasing of tribal lands; and ensured that private developers follow required laws to protect tribal cultural resources. Mr. Shavitz has also represented state agencies and developers in environmental litigation, counseled developers and property owners regarding compliance with land use laws, served as counsel to a town planning board and zoning board of appeals, and analyzed environmental aspects of corporate and real estate transactions.
Mr. Shavitz has an active regulatory and policy practice representing clients before members of Congress and federal and state agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Shavitz has also counseled clients on issues related to federal grant approval and administration, including procurement, government contracts and labor requirements.
He received his J.D. with honors and an environmental law certificate in 1996 from the Pace University School of Law, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Pace Law Review.
