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Dennis Toft is a renowned environmental lawyer who applies a keen understanding of science and the complexities of regulatory process when addressing the wide range of issues that his clients face. He provides counsel on all aspects of environmental law, including regulatory counseling, environmental due diligence, permitting, enforcement and environmental litigation, development/redevelopment and environmental insurance.

Dennis is highly regarded as one of New Jersey’s leading Brownfields redevelopment practitioners. Governor Christine Todd Whitman appointed Dennis to serve on the New Jersey Brownfields and Contaminated Site Remediation Task Force, a group created by state law to identify and market Brownfields sites. In 2002, Governor James McGreevey appointed Dennis as chairman of the task force. He was recently named to Governor-elect Chris Christie’s transition team, where he was a member of the Environmental Protection Committee. Dennis was also appointed by Governor Richard Codey and served on the New Jersey Solid Waste Advisory Council.

Dennis regularly appears before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, municipal land use boards and the Office of Administrative Law, and in state and federal courts.

Dennis has extensive experience representing clients in numerous complicated transactions in litigation and in regulatory matters. Typical matters include assisting a client in negotiating the first environmental risk transfer agreement that was approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; representing clients in obtaining all the regulatory approvals for major facilities, utility lines, hazardous and solid waste incinerators and similar controversial projects; defending and negotiating settlements of natural resource damage claims; defending clients in cost recovery actions; defending and negotiating settlements of civil and criminal enforcement actions resulting from discharges or permit violations; representing clients dealing with Clean Air Act, Water Pollution Control, RCRA and other complicated regulatory processes; and handling all aspects of complicated Brownfield transactions.

Dennis played a key role in the adoption of the New Jersey Brownfields and Contaminated Site Remediation Act. More recently, Dennis was instrumental in the development and adoption of the New Jersey Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA), which establishes a Licensed Site Remediation Professional Program in New Jersey. He is currently serving on the NJDEP Steering Committee for the implementation of the SRRA.

Dennis was a trustee to the New Jersey Chapter of NAIOP and now serves as counsel to that organization and is an associate of the Environmental Law Institute. He is the author of numerous articles about environmental topics and lectures extensively in the field.

Among his many recognitions, Dennis is ranked as a leading environmental lawyer in the most recent editions of Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America and New Jersey Super Lawyers.  He also has an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest ranking of both ethical standards and legal ability that Martindale awards.

Dennis received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as a staff member and administrative editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. He earned a degree in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was elected to Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Dennis is active in his community, serving as a Boy Scout Leader and Vice President of Patriot’s Path Council, Boy Scouts of America. He is chair of the Finance Council of the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights, N.J., and is a soccer coach. In recognition of his professional and community service activities, Dennis received the Industry Service Award from NAIOP, the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award from the United Way, and the Silver Beaver Award from the Patriot’s Path Council, where he is a member of the Eagle Scout Hall of Fame. Most recently, Dennis was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America that is bestowed upon Eagle Scouts who have distinguished themselves in their careers and in their service to others.