Christine M. Leas - Sive Paget & Riesel PC

Christine specializes in environmental regulatory compliance and transactional matters, counseling clients on multiple facets of complex redevelopment projects and environmental aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. She has over twenty years of experience negotiating manuscript environmental insurance policies and has obtained coverage for claims that were initially denied, including resolution of a multi-million dollar environmental insurance claim through mediation with the carrier.

Christine represents a wide array of real estate owners and investors, guiding due diligence, transactional negotiation to allocate risk associated with site contamination and regulatory permitting and compliance. Licensed to practice in multiple jurisdictions, she represents corporate, governmental and financial institution clients on environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions involving properties nationwide, while maintaining a practice that is rooted in practical solutions for navigating the unique regulatory landscape of New York. She has worked on several of the largest brownfield redevelopment projects in the region, as well as smaller commercial and residential redevelopments under the New York State Brownfields Cleanup Program (BCP), Superfund (CERCLA) and its state counterparts, the New York Navigation Law, the New York City E zoning designation requirements with respect to hazardous materials, air quality and noise attenuation as well as waterfront permitting.

Before joining SPR, Christine was a member of one of the region’s largest environmental practice groups within an international law firm. Early in her career, Christine worked with a regional not-for-profit on nascent legal efforts focused on climate change, including San Francisco Bay-Delta and Central Valley water quality-quantity interface issues and international environmental refugee issues. She also counseled NRG Energy on environmental aspects of its acquisition of privatized former East German coal mining and power generation assets from the Federal Republic of Germany (Treuhandanstalt).

New York Metro Super Lawyers, Environmental Law

Lexology Index/Who’s Who Legal, Environment & Climate Change

Queens West Development Corporation

Location: New York, NY

The firm represents the Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), a subsidiary of Empire State Development and a cooperative undertaking of the State of New York and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. QWDC has overseen the remediation and redevelopment of former industrial waterfront property along the East River in Long Island City, Queens. The project boundaries extend from the Anable Basin to 50th Avenue, west of 5th Street. SPR advised on the preparation of the EIS for the project, and successfully defended the EIS against a judicial challenge. The Firm helped to structure and negotiate environmental liability risk management protections associated with the property acquisition, oversee contaminated soil remediation pursuant to the Voluntary and Brownfield Cleanup Programs, secure the necessary tidal wetlands permits and other regulatory approvals that authorized the construction of eleven residential buildings (over 4,600 housing units), over 170,000 square feet of retail amenities, public streets and utilities, two public schools and 13 acres of public parkland and recreational areas that has greatly enhanced the Long Island City community. The Firm also represented QWDC and a private developer in litigation to recover costs associated with certain aspects of remediation.

Edge-On-Hudson

Location: Sleepy Hollow, NY

SPR represents Lighthouse Landing Communities LLC, the developer of the former General Motors Assembly site in Sleepy Hollow. The Edge-on-Hudson development is a mixed-use project, including residential, commercial and open space uses on a 97-acre site former industrial property bordering the Hudson River. The Firm has advised the project with respect to acquisition of the land from General Motors and its participation in the Brownfield Cleanup Program through investigation and remediation of this former industrial site. In addition to the Brownfield work SPR also assisted with environmental permitting issues, especially those pertinent to shoreline development, as well as preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Prologis

Location: New York and New Jersey

SPR is environmental counsel to Prologis on pre-acquisition due diligence, transaction negotiation and redevelopment of industrial logistics properties in New York and New Jersey. The firm also counsels Prologis on environmental remediation and regulatory compliance, including waterfront permitting and complex waterfront title issues.

Thor Equities Industrial Logistics Development

Location: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Florida

SPR represents Thor Equities as environmental counsel on multiple acquisitions of industrial logistics properties in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California and Florida. The firm also counsels Thor Equities on post acquisition environmental remediation and regulatory compliance issues in connection with redevelopment and management of its industrial logistics portfolio.

Willets Point Development Project

Location: Queens, NY

SPR was retained by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to serve as environmental counsel for the preparation of a Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the City of New York's proposed redevelopment of a 61 acre parcel in Willets Point Queens. The Willets Point project is a proposed redevelopment of an underutilized industrial area into a lively, mixed-use, sustainable community and regional destination. Besides the GEIS, the Firm assisted the City in other aspects of the proposed project, including hazardous waste remediation and environmental issues relating to the purchase of existing parcels within the project area and the parcels to be utilized to relocate existing businesses. The project, which required the rezoning of the area and adoption of an urban renewal plan, was approved in the Fall of 2008. In 2017 SPR was retained by the Queens Development Group (a partnership of the Related Companies and Sterling Equities) to represent the project developer in connection with hazardous waste remediation pursuant to the Brownfield Cleanup Program. The project will transform an approximately 23 acre area with construction of New York City’s largest 100% affordable housing project in 40 years, a professional league soccer stadium, a public school, park and public open space amenities.

Greenpoint Landing

Location: Brooklyn, NY

SPR represents the developer of this 27-acre Brooklyn site fronting on the junction of the East River and Newtown Creek for mixed-use. A portion of the project has already been developed with affordable housing; when complete, the project will include extensive affordable housing, a school, retail and open space, with a new waterfront esplanade. The Firm assisted in the due diligence conducted prior to acquisition of the site, and represented the developer in obtaining NYSDEC tidal wetlands and protections of water permits and a water quality certificate, as well as an individual ACOE permit for the rehabilitation of the shoreline and the construction of a ferry terminal and new pier. The Firm also represents the developer with respect to the Brownfield Cleanup Program for a portion of the site, and the City OER for other portions of the site.

Watch Case Factory

Location: Sag Harbor, NY

SPR represented Sag Development Partners in connection with the redevelopment Sag Harbor's historic Watch Case Factory into residential condominiums. The Firm represented the developer with respect to the environmental review, land use approvals, regulatory sign-offs, and negotiations with NYSDEC and the former property owner concerning hazardous substances remediation and environmental site management.

“Environmental Issues in Real Estate Deals”

For: Diversity in Commercial Real Estate (DCRE) Conference

July 2025 | Presenters Christine Leas and Alexis Saba

“Commercial Real Estate Financing: Environmental Law for Lenders and their Lawyers”

For: Practicing Law Institute

April 3, 2019 | Presented by Christine Leas

“Complex Cases Management Strategy & Financing Mechanisms – The U.S. Experience”

For: Seminário Ekos Brasil, SustRem Conference 2018, São Paulo, Brazil

October 30, 2018 | Presented by Christine Leas

“Remediation of Emerging Contaminants: New York Regulatory Update”

For: Montclair State University, Center for Professional Education Services

November 30, 2018 | Presented by Christine Leas

“Waterfront Redevelopment and Resilience: Natural Resources, Regulatory Changes, and Future Physical Climate Risks”

For: New York State Bar Association Environment and Energy Law Section

January 30, 2015 | Presented by Christine Leas

“Management of Urban Soils at Construction Sites”

For: New York City Department of Transportation

April 10, 2012 | Presented by Christine Leas

“New York and Federal Site Contamination Law”

For: HalfMoon Education, Inc. (Continuing education course for professional engineers and surveyors)

December 14, 2011 | Presented by Christine Leas

“Institutional Brownfields Incentives”

For: Environmental Law Institute

September 18, 2011 | Presented by Christine Leas

Managing Lender Liability: A Historical Overview and Practice Commentary for Moving Forward

CERCLA’s strict liability for environmental cleanup costs on owners or operators of contaminated sites contains limited defenses and exceptions. One such exception is the “safe harbor” that shields lenders from liability provided they do not undertake certain activities with respect to the site. But the applicability of this “safe ...

EPA Phases Out ASTM E1527-13 Standard for “All Appropriate Inquiries” Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule on December 15, 2022, allowing for the use of ASTM International’s E1527-21 standard for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) to satisfy the requirements of the All Appropriate Inquiries Rule (AAI Rule). The final rule will go into effect on ...

ASTM Publishes New Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Standard

In November 2021, ASTM International published the new Phase I environmental site assessment standard, denominated E1527-21, to replace to prior E1527-13 standard that has been in use for the past eight years. The new standard provides clarity and guidance on the best practices for preparing Phase I reports, ...

Christine
Leas

Principal