Barbara J. Koonz

Barbara represents project owners, developers, investors, and energy industry stakeholders in traditional energy, renewable energy, battery storage, and infrastructure projects. Her practice focuses on permitting, development, interconnection, regulatory compliance, enforcement matters, and state and federal incentive programs.

She advises clients on complex state and federal environmental permitting matters, including Clean Air Act Title V compliance, New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) and Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA) approvals, Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) obligations, and New Jersey Environmental Justice requirements. Barbara also represents clients in enforcement actions and regulatory proceedings involving the EPA, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and regularly serves as New Jersey local counsel to national law firms.

Barbara has significant experience in renewable energy and infrastructure development matters, including solar, agrivoltaic, and battery storage projects. She assists clients with development incentives, interconnection agreements, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and energy rights-of-way matters.

In addition, Barbara advises solid waste companies, brokers, recyclers, vendors, and investors on A-901 licensing, Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) requirements, facility transfers, and related regulatory compliance matters.

American College of Environmental Lawyers Fellow

New Jersey State Bar Association: Corporate Sustainability, Cleantech, and Climate Change Special Committee, Member and past Co-Chair; Public Utility Law Section; Environmental Law Section

NAIOP New Jersey Board of Trustees

American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources

Energy Bar Association

Florida Bar Association

New Jersey Builders Association Environmental Affairs Committee

New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

Board member and former chair of the Middlesex County Adult Substance Abuse Program, which delivers rehabilitation and re-entry services to drug-dependent inmates

Lead the firm’s energy team representing L’Oréal USA, providing support in the development and operation of large-scale renewable energy projects, including negotiation of long-term energy services agreements, community solar arrangements, and utility compliance for facilities in multiple states, including a flagship New Jersey microgrid and solar generation facility with battery storage and EV infrastructure.

Advising Lightstar Renewables on the development of agrivoltaics, community solar, and grid-supply projects in New Jersey and the Northeast, including site acquisition, permitting, interconnection, incentive eligibility, financing, and power purchase agreements, with capital investments exceeding $100 million.

Representing a publicly traded telecommunications company and its affiliates in developing a landfill-based community solar facility in Voorhees, securing NJDEP, NJBPU, and utility approvals and managing complex interconnection and waste-law compliance issues.

Representing a global 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the advancement of zero-emission vehicle and infrastructure technology in evidentiary proceedings before the NJBPU, advocating for policies supporting electrification of commercial and heavy-duty vehicle transportation and related incentive programs.

Serving as lead counsel for a west-coast based national renewable power company in securing New Jersey’s first waiver permitting solar development in the Pinelands Preservation Area, enabling construction of a landfill-based solar and storage facility following NJBPU, NJDEP, and Pinelands Commission approval.

Representing the owner of a Massachusetts based renewable energy services provider in the acquisition, redevelopment, and expansion of rooftop and ground-mounted solar and energy storage facilities in New Jersey, including interconnection transfers, power purchase agreements, and complex asset redeployment.

Serving as New Jersey regulatory counsel to the largest solar community services provider in the Northeastern United States in connection with community solar program compliance, subscriber agreements, disclosure documents, and consumer protection requirements following a major industry merger.

Represented a global medical equipment manufacturer in environmental permitting, ISRA compliance, and international corporate reorganizations, including resolution of Clean Water Act disputes resulting in $20–$50 million in avoided compliance costs.

Serving as special energy and environmental counsel to an industrial material recycling firm in the sale of a regulated sanitary landfill with integrated solar and methane systems, ensuring compliance with environmental, energy, and waste regulations.

Serving as environmental counsel to ShelterLogic Group in facility compliance, real estate matters, and the environmental decommissioning and remediation of a major New Jersey manufacturing operation.

Advising Village Super Market, Inc. on environmental compliance, permitting, due diligence, and redevelopment for supermarket and warehouse facilities across multiple states, including projects in underserved urban areas.

Advising a commercial facility services company and private equity investor on A-901 licensing and regulatory compliance in connection with acquisitions and expansion of solid waste and mechanical services businesses in New Jersey.

Advising Fairleigh Dickinson University on competitive procurement and negotiation of electricity and natural gas supply agreements for multi-campus operations, including management of annual energy auctions and supplier contracts.

Advising the owner of a 52-acre tract of farmland located in Lebanon, in negotiating long-term ground leases for a 12 MW grid-supply solar facility, including structuring lease terms, due diligence periods, and risk allocation provisions.

Seton Hall University School of Law

J.D.

1989

Franklin & Marshall College

B.A.

1983

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