Bergen County Utilities Authority

We have had the honor of serving as General Counsel for the Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA) since 2004.  The BCUA operates wastewater treatment facilities in Little Ferry and Edgewater, which provides treatment services to 47 municipalities in Bergen County.  It is the third largest wastewater treatment system in the State.  The BCUA also provides solid waste planning, cooperative marketing, recycling and other solid waste services to all 70 municipalities in Bergen County.

Our representation of the BCUA encompasses a wide variety of legal services, including public bidding and contract work, numerous environmental permits and related issues, Open Public Records Act and Open Public Hearings Act questions, public hearings as to the annual budget, service charge rates and connection fees, municipal bonds, riparian grants, intergovernmental agreements, personnel matters and the like.

We also have provided representation to the agency in connection with its litigation, which has included tort claims, bidding challenges, collection of service charges and connection fees, and filing an amicus brief in matters in appellate litigation between third parties where the issues would impact the agency.  The BCUA serves as the designated agency for NJDEP for enforcement of the Industrial Pretreatment program within its sewerage service area, and so we frequently appear before the Administrative Law Judges in connection with those cases.