Steven Hann is a Principal at the Pennsylvania law firm of Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, where he focuses his practice on environmental law and municipal law, and chairs the firm’s Environmental Law Department. He represents a diverse client base, which includes municipal authorities, municipalities, business entities, builders and developers. Steve personally handles all facets of a sophisticated environmental law practice, such as environmental litigation with federal and state government agencies and private parties, advising/representing clients on regulatory, permitting and compliance matters, and guiding clients on environmental issues arising in business and real estate transactions. Steve also provides clients with experienced counseling on federal and state legislative and regulatory developments.
In addition to his environmental law practice, Steve has developed an extensive practice in the area of municipal law, with a specific emphasis on municipal authorities. Steve is the East Region Solicitor (responsible for the eastern half of Pennsylvania) for the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (“PMAA”), an organization representing the interests of over 700 municipal authorities in Pennsylvania. In this position, Steve regularly interacts with PMAA staff on issues related to the operation and management of municipal authorities, and legislative and regulatory initiatives impacting municipal authorities. He provides guidance to PMAA member authorities and firm clients on a variety of municipal authority-related matters, including general water, wastewater and environmental issues; stormwater management; permitting; regulatory compliance; sewage facilities planning; wasteload management; board member issues; tapping fees and rates; water and sewer regulations; and, compliance with state law bidding and procurement requirements. In addition, Steve provides experienced counseling on various statutes, such as the Municipality Authorities Act, Sunshine Act, Right-to-Know Law and Ethics Act. Steve has been appointed as both solicitor and special counsel for municipal entities, and has been retained as both an expert and mediator in matters involving municipal authorities. He is also a frequent author and speaker on both environmental law and municipal law-related issues. Since 2010, Steve has participated in or was the sole presenter at over one hundred thirty (130) seminars/webinars and continuing legal education courses. Steve also contributed to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s publication, Municipal Authorities in Pennsylvania.
During his professional career, Steve has litigated cases of significant import in both the federal and state court systems. He represented PMAA in the well-publicized case involving the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, the most extensive TMDL ever developed in the United States. This case was ultimately appealed to the United States Supreme Court. Steve has also litigated numerous water quality cases in Pennsylvania for municipal entities, including those involving NPDES permits and TMDLs, and the recovery of attorneys’ fees. In addition, he represented the prevailing party in a landmark case in Pennsylvania, in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held for the first time that a private cause of action exists under the Pennsylvania Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act. He has filed amicus briefs on various matters of significance, including one with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on issues of first impression involving the land application of biosolids. Steve has also been an advocate on behalf of clients before Pennsylvania’s Environmental Hearing Board, where he has been involved in over sixty (60) appeals, many of which involving Pennsylvania municipal authorities.
Steve’s law practice is further bolstered by his science and technical background. He earned both a B.S. Degree in Meteorology and a B.S. Degree in Geoscience, and a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology. Prior to attending law school, Steve was an environmental consultant for both industry and government. He was first employed as a meteorologist focusing on air quality and air pollution issues. Thereafter, Steve was a member of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) Field Investigation Team under the federal Superfund program, where he was engaged in various activities related to the investigation and remediation of hazardous waste sites. In this position, Steve was selected by EPA Headquarters to travel throughout the country as a speaker for an EPA sponsored training course on hazardous waste site inspections.