Peter Durning

Practice Areas

- Environmental & Land Use

- Real Estate

- Water and Wastewater Systems

Career

Peter is a seasoned environmental attorney with a focus on water and wetlands-related matters, including litigation, enforcement defense, land use, and permitting.

Peter has extensive experience in adjudicatory appeals under the Wetlands Protection Act and Chapter 91; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement actions; solid waste site assignment hearings; citizen suits regarding stormwater discharges; zoning disputes; and business and transactional consulting, as well as local, state, and federal permit proceedings and appeals. Additionally, Peter performs environmental due diligence for real estate transactions, development contracts, and corporate transactions.

Public water suppliers are a core element of Peter's client base in the environmental practice. He also works with renewable energy facility investors, high-net-worth individuals, small businesses, and municipalities. No matter the client, Peter is committed to understanding their goals and translating scientific analysis into practical applications of the law to serve their interests.

Peter draws upon his seven years of pre-law experience as a history teacher to deliver legal arguments. He uses these skills to set the arc of a deposition outline or deliver a closing argument at trial. Notably, he delivered the winning oral argument before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the case of Town of Concord v. Water Department of Littleton, 487 Mass. 56 (2021), which involved the statutory interpretation of the Water Management Act.

Having addressed many hazardous waste cleanups and litigated issues of responsibility for site contamination, Peter's skills complement those of our transactional and real estate attorneys to craft agreements and covenants that help clients evaluate risk and execute deals.

Professional Memberships

- Boston Bar Association: Energy & Environmental Co-Chair (2016-2018) Environmental Litigation Committee Co-Chair (2012-2014)

- Environmental Business Council: Member, Solid Waste Management Committee; Former Chair, Water Resources Committee

- Massachusetts Water Works Association

Expert in these Jurisdictions

- Massachusetts

Education

Awards