Michael R. Goldstein, Esq.

Goldstein-MichaelMichael R. Goldstein, Managing Shareholder of The Goldstein Environmental Law Firm, P.A., and a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent and Chambers and Partners rated attorney, practices exclusively in the areas of environmental law and environmental redevelopment for a broad range of clients, including industrial, retail, residential, and office developers, public and private companies, real estate and private equity funds, lenders, and local governments. A major aspect of Mr. Goldstein's environmental legal practice involves support of real estate and business transactions, including managing pre-acquisition and pre-leasing due diligence investigations; structuring, negotiating, and drafting environmental provisions in purchase, lease, and development agreements; and assisting lenders evaluate and limit the risk of exposure to environmental liability in connection with new loans and potential foreclosures. In addition, he works closely and extensively with real estate development principals and engineering, planning, and design professionals to help coordinate federal, state and local regulatory approvals for complex retail, industrial, residential, mixed use, conservation and recreation, and marina related projects throughout the State of Florida.
As local government smart growth policies have increasingly encouraged developers, builders, lenders, and tenants to restore, recycle and reuse infill sites, Mr. Goldstein has focused on helping clients navigate the environmental regulatory and third-party liability risk issues associated with properties directly or indirectly impacted by discharges of hazardous substances and landfilling of solid waste. This has included helping clients identify, contract with, and manage environmental and civil engineering firms with the knowledge, expertise, and insurance to work on contaminated construction and redevelopment sites; design and obtain approval of risk based cleanup strategies that minimize the cost and time of assessment and remediation; define and evaluate the additional construction costs that result from properly handling contaminated media, such as excavated soils and dewatering effluent; integrate cleanup and development strategies to minimize the impact of remediation on the cost, design, permitting, and schedule of construction; ensure that worker health and safety issues are addressed; and coordinate outreach to, and collaboration with, community stakeholders.
Mr. Goldstein's practice has a heavy emphasis on the remediation, financing, and beneficial reuse of contaminated sites and involves a broad array of Brownfields related transactional, administrative, regulatory, legal, legislative, and policy work for clients in both the private and public sectors. He has developed a national reputation as one of the leading and most innovative Brownfields practitioners in Florida, working on important and precedent establishing projects as well as heading up or participating in numerous local, regional, state, and federal environmental restoration initiatives. On a statewide level, Mr. Goldstein was the founding Chairman of the Florida Brownfields Association and served as its Chairman and/or President for the first five years of the organization's existence. Mr. Goldstein’s tenure as Chairman and President was distinguished by his commitment to elevating environmental justice and public health as critical areas of emphasis for business, community, regulatory agency, and local government stakeholders. In 1996, the Miami-Dade County Commission appointed him Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Brownfields Task Force, a post that he held until the committee's business was completed in 2004. In January 2006, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of Bloomberg Environment’s highly respected Environmental Due Diligence Guide, which serves as a national reporting, editorial, and opinion forum for environmental transactions and related Brownfields and policy matters. In 2008, he founded and funded the Goldstein Brownfields Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering economically and health disadvantaged individuals and communities with scholarships, programming, and resources to restore polluted land, revitalize neighborhoods, and protect public health. The Goldstein Brownfields Foundation also focuses on increasing the ethnic and gender diversity of lawyers working in the environmental arena through academic scholarships, educational and career programming, and professional mentoring. In 2009, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to the Executive Committee of the National Brownfields Coalition, an affiliation of private and public-sector stakeholders working in the U.S. Congress to advocate for improvements in environmental redevelopment policy and legislation.
On May 16, 2013, Michael was awarded the prestigious Brownfields Leadership Award at the U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference by the National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals for his “achievement in and commitment to public private partnerships.” On October 28, 2013, Michael was awarded the prestigious Chrysalis Award by the membership of the Florida Brownfields Association at its Annual Brownfields Conference for his “outstanding efforts towards the cleanup and redevelopment of Brownfield properties in the state of Florida,” including “educating the public and elected officials about the Brownfield Program, providing volunteer assistance to Florida communities, advancing legislation that promotes the Brownfield Program through increased incentives and opportunities, extreme volunteer participation in the activities of the Florida Brownfields Association, promoting the state and federal Brownfield Programs, and Brownfield site cleanup.”
On October 27, 2019, Michael R. Goldstein Michael was recognized by the Southeast Brownfields Conference by receiving the Environmental Justice Champion Award for his distinguished to advocate environmental justice and public health as areas of critical emphasis for business, community, regulatory agency, local government stakeholders, noting that “his legacy has been a positive force for EJ communities to regain hope, leverage tools and partnerships, to achieve revitalization.
Michael is called on frequently to provide training and support for local government based environmental redevelopment efforts and has formally developed and presented brownfield related workshops to elected officials, planning staff, businesses, and community stakeholders in the following Florida municipalities: Cutler Bay, Doral, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Pompano Beach, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg.
Another important element of Michael’s practice is providing environmental regulatory compliance counsel and defense of agency enforcement actions as they relate to the laws governing the generation, handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. This work routinely involves negotiation of consent agreements and orders with federal, state, and local regulators to address matters involving non-compliance with statutes, regulations, and permits governing the improper handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. He brings to this process a demonstrated history of transparent, collaborative, productive, and respectful relationships with regulators, regulated community, local government officials, non-government organizations, and community stakeholders to resolve environmental disputes, deescalate conflict, maximize public participation, and ensure that environmental justice considerations are factored into decision-making. Michael also has a demonstrated history of not only developing corporate environmental compliance plans relating to the generation, handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes but also ensuring that corporate employees – at both the management and staff level – understand and successfully implement such plans.

Notable Experience Related to Transactions, Cleanups & Environmental Redevelopment

Substantial expertise on behalf of private and public corporations, developers, lenders, and local governments in the procurement, contracting, and management of environmental engineering and consulting professionals to develop and implement environmental due diligence, remediation, compliance, and design and construction strategies, including negotiation of consultant contracts, review and revision of draft plans and reports prior to submittal to environmental regulatory agencies, and interfacing with consultants to negotiate clean-up agreements and schedules with environmental regulatory agencies.

Comprehensive understanding of federal and state liability protections afforded to lenders pre- and post-foreclosure in the (i) management of environmentally impaired security interests and (ii) development and implementation of remediation, regulatory compliance, property management, and marketing and disposition strategies to maintain secured creditor safe harbors under federal and state law.

Broad experience in working with environmental consultants to design, negotiate, obtain state and local regulatory approval of institutional and engineering controls to allow residual soil and groundwater contamination to be safely managed in place.

Substantial involvement in developing, implementing, and managing long-term environmental restoration, economic redevelopment, and project construction strategies on behalf of developers, end-users, and local governments to address clean-up, regulatory, liability, design and engineering, financing, environmental insurance, community outreach, and stakeholder involvement concerns on or in connection with Brownfield and Superfund sites in Florida.

Broad experience in procuring environmental insurance coverage and negotiating endorsements, exclusions, and related policy language for buyers, sellers, lenders, and end-users.

Special emphasis on helping to conduct environmental due diligence investigations of, and design and permit cost-effective contamination cleanup and closure strategies for, former agricultural sites, automotive dealerships, drycleaners, gas stations, golf courses, landfills, and nurseries.

Strong working relationships with Brownfields program managers and administrators at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, numerous local pollution control agencies across the State of Florida, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Commerce, and several of Florida’s Regional Planning Councils.

Strong relationships and extensive experience working with federal, state, regional, and local regulatory and economic development officials, including U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Economic Development Administration, Enterprise Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, Miami-Dade County’s Beacon Council, and the Miami-Dade County Office of Community and Economic Development.

NOTABLE BROWNFIELDS RELATED WORK

Brownfield Projects. Specific Brownfield Program related matters engaged to work on in Florida through February 2023 include projects located in the following jurisdictions: Apopka, Auburndale, Aventura, Bar Harbor, Belle Glade, Boynton Beach, Bradenton, Brevard County, Broward County, Citrus County, Clay County, Cocoa Beach, Collier County, Coral Springs, Cutler Bay, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, DeFuniak Springs, Delray Beach, Doral, Duval County, El Portal, Escambia County, Eustis, Florida City, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Hallandale Beach, Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Key Biscayne, Kissimmee, LaBelle, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Lakeland, Largo, Lauderhill, Longwood, Manatee County, Margate, Medley, Melbourne, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami-Dade County, Miramar, Monroe County, Mulberry, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oakland Park, Ocala, Opa-locka, Orange County, Orlando, Palm Beach County, Pasco County, Pensacola, Polk County, Pompano Beach, Punta Gorda, Riviera Beach, Sarasota, Sarasota County, Seminole, South Miami, St. Pete Beach, St. Petersburg, Stuart, Sunrise, Sweetwater, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Tequesta, Venice, West Palm Beach, and Winter Haven.

Brownfield Incentives. Over the past 25 years, worked with clients, environmental consultants, local government officials, Certified Public Accountants, and/or state regulators to prepare and/or submit more than 250 Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Application packages, 32 Brownfield Redevelopment Bonus Applications, 52 Construction Materials Sales Tax Refund Applications, and 5 Brownfield Targeted Site Assessment Applications. Have also supported numerous local government Brownfield grant applications to the U.S. EPA, including a successful $500,000 U.S. EPA Brownfield Jobs Training Grant for the City of Miami, a successful $450,000 U.S. EPA Brownfield Remediation Grant for Palm Beach County, and a $250,000 U.S. EPA/FDEP Brownfields Contamination Assessment Grant for a private developer in Miami and $250,000 U.S. EPA/FDEP Brownfields Source Removal Grant for a private developer in Miami. Clients receiving brownfield incentives include Atlantic Pacific Communities, Blue Sky Communities, City of Doral, City of North Miami, City of Pompano Beach, Cornerstone Group, Darden Restaurants, El Ad National Properties, Florida Crystals, Gerdau Ameristeel, Housing Trust Group, IKEA, JDS Development Group, Macklowe Properties, McArthur Dairy, Panattoni Development Company, Pinnacle Housing Group, Related Group, Richman Group, Sam’s Club, TECO, Town of Cutler Bay, Village of Key Biscayne, WalMart Stores, Waste Management, and ZOM Development.
Negotiation of Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements. Successfully negotiated over 115 Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements (“BSRA”), BSRA Amendments, and BSRA Assignment and Assumption Agreements under the Florida Brownfields Program, including more than 50 with the Miami- Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, 30 with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 30 with the Broward County Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department, and 3 with the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission.
Landfill Related Redevelopment and Reuse Experience. Worked or working on approximately 41 landfill redevelopment and reuse projects involving commercial, conservation and recreation, industrial, renewable energy, residential, and retail reuse scenarios, including landfill sites located in Apopka, Aventura, Coral Springs, Ft. Walton Beach, Delray Beach, Doral, Gainesville,  Hallandale Beach, Hialeah, Hillsborough County, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Lake Park, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Miami Gardens, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oakland Park, Opa-locka, Orlando, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palmetto, Pompano Beach, Sarasota, Stuart, Sweetwater, Tampa, and West Palm Beach.
Affordable and Workforce Housing Redevelopment Experience. Serve or served as counsel to 15 of the most active affordable and workforce housing developers in Florida to successfully obtain Brownfield Area designations or Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements for more than 80 projects located in over 32 different local government jurisdictions for the purpose of obtaining Sales Tax Refunds on Building Materials, Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits, and/or liability protection for project principals and lenders. Also charged with engaging and managing environmental consultants to design and obtain approval for risk based closure based on anticipated residential reuse and developing and implementing strategy for negotiations with state and local environmental agencies.
Site Selection & Disposition Experience. Extensive representation of local governments and corporations in the reposturing and marketing of Brownfield and Superfund Sites for sale and/or reuse to third parties. Also engaged by companies looking to expand, locate, or re-locate in Florida to identify and assist in the acquisition, restoration and redevelopment of Brownfield and Superfund Sites.
Florida Brownfields and Environmental Counsel to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Successfully obtained Brownfields Area designations and/or negotiated Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreements for former nursery waste landfill in Auburndale, former asphalt and cement plant located in Citrus County, former contaminated retail site in Escambia County, former dairy and paint manufacturing plant located in Hillsborough County, former automotive dealership in Homestead, multi-parcel commercial and industrial site in Jacksonville, former multi-parcel commercial and industrial site in Largo, former automotive dealership in Miami-Dade County, former automotive dealership in St Petersburg, and former commercial site and newspaper publishing facility in St. Petersburg (Sam’s Club).
Brownfields Counsel to Town of Cutler Bay. Engaged by the Town of Cutler Bay to assist in the brownfields designation of a former tree farm property owned by the Town to facilitate reuse for
conservation and recreation purposes. Successfully negotiated with Publix to add the Town to an existing Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement to create liability protection and the ability to apply for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits. Prepared and submitted multiple Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Applications to recapture spent remediation dollars for the General Fund.
Brownfields and Environmental Counsel to City of Doral. Engaged by the City of Doral to assist in the environmental investigation, cleanup and brownfields designation of four sites for conservation and recreation purposes and one large rapidly redevelopment industrial corridor for economic redevelopment purposes. Successfully negotiated multiple Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements to create liability protection and the ability to apply for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits. Prepared and submitted multiple Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Applications to recapture spent remediation dollars for the General Fund.
Brownfields and Environmental Counsel to Escambia County. Engaged by Escambia County to provide environmental legal counsel and Brownfields consulting services in connection with potential acquisition, master planning, and redevelopment of Superfund site located in Pensacola and formerly operated as lumber treating site. Charged with evaluating site's eligibility for inclusion in Florida Brownfields Program, negotiating liability protection with U.S. EPA, preparing Strategic Brownfields Marketing and Disposition Plan, communicating Brownfields Marketing and Disposition Plan to business, neighborhood, and public health stakeholders, marketing site at Florida Brownfields Conference and U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, developing environmental insurance strategy, and identifying and reaching out to qualified Brownfield developers.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Ft. Lauderdale. Engaged by the City of Ft. Lauderdale to assist in the identification and designation of multiple corridors, neighborhoods, and sub-markets as Brownfields Area Job Acceleration Zone.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Miami. Engaged by the City of Miami to draft and help implement the City's Strategic Brownfields Plan, including procedures for initiating Brownfields designation, recommendations for developing additional incentives (such as zoning incentives) to stimulate Brownfields redevelopment, strategies for promoting Brownfields redevelopment opportunities to developers, end-users, and neighborhood groups, and protocols for community outreach and environmental justice.
Environmental Counsel to City of Miami. Bicentennial Park to Museum Park Project, Orange Bowl Stadium to Florida Marlins Stadium Project, Former Virginia Key Landfill Conservation Reuse Project. Engaged by the City of Miami in 2009 to assist in the environmental investigation and cleanup of contamination at Bicentennial Park to facilitate its redevelopment as a bayside campus for the Miami Art Museum and the Miami Museum of Science; in 2008 to assist the City in the environmental investigation and cleanup of contamination at the former Orange Bowl Stadium site to facilitate its redevelopment as a new stadium for Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins team; and in 2003 and 2004 on a pro bono basis in connection with beneficial reuse of 100 acre former landfill located on Virginia Key in the City of Miami.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Miami Beach. Engaged by the City of Miami Beach to assist in the brownfields designation of two sites (one a former golf course and the other a former fueling facility) for conservation and recreation purposes, one for a massive convention center and hotel complex (a former golf course), and one for mixed-use purposes involving residential and commercial development. Also engaged to advise the City on economic incentive opportunities, including application for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits, which is anticipated to return over $1 million to the General Revenue Fund.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Miami Gardens. Engaged by the City of Miami Gardens to assist in the identification and designation of multiple corridors, neighborhoods, and sub-markets as Brownfield Areas. Spearheaded successful brownfields designation of City-owned property for marketing to private sector. Also engaged to brief the City Council on all brownfields related economic incentive communities and to hold outreach workshops for business and neighborhood stakeholders.
Brownfields Counsel to City of North Miami. Engaged by the City of North Miami to assist in the Brownfields designation of former wastewater treatment plant for redevelopment and reuse for affordable housing, health care, and expanded conservation and recreation purposes. Also engaged to brief the City Council on all brownfields related economic incentive communities and to hold outreach workshops for business and neighborhood stakeholders.
Brownfields and Environmental Counsel to City of North Miami Beach. Engaged by the City of North Miami Beach to assist in the environmental investigation, cleanup and master planning of former Miami-Dade County owned landfill for expanded conservation and recreation purposes. Also engaged to advise the City as to Brownfields related funding opportunities in 2009 federal stimulus legislation. Successfully converted environmental enforcement action by Miami-Dade County DERM for landfill remediation into $10 million landfill remediation funding commitment by Miami-Dade County Commission.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Oakland Park. Engaged by the City of Oakland Park to assist in the brownfields designation of a former gas station and automotive repair shop to facilitate reuse as a mixed use, transit oriented, and climate friendly development. Also engaged to help the City establish appropriate criteria for the Request for Proposal process to ensure that the selected developer has the right environmental qualifications. Successfully negotiated a Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement to create liability protection and the ability to apply for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits. Prepared and submitted multiple Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Applications to recapture spent remediation dollars for the General Fund.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Pompano Beach. Engaged by the City of Pompano Beach to assist in the brownfields designation of a former golf course property owned by the City to facilitate reuse for soccer and related recreation purposes. Also engaged to help the City maximize recapture of General Fund monies allocated to contamination assessment and remediation through generation of Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits.
Brownfields Counsel to City of Sarasota. Engaged by the City of Sarasota to assist in the evaluation of Brownfields related funding opportunities in 2009 federal stimulus legislation.
Brownfields Counsel to Village of Key Biscayne. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the Village of Key Biscayne (November 2022) as environmental counsel to the Village for a former gas station being redeveloped into a public park. Worked closely with elected officials, the Village Manager, Park and Recreation Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before the Village Council for unanimous vote of approval. Also negotiated the first Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement for property subject to remediation in Key Biscayne and providing environmental counsel and regulatory guidance to Village staff to streamline and reduce costs for addressing contaminated soils.
First Brownfield Area Designation in the City of Fort Lauderdale. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the City of Fort Lauderdale (February 2012) for a former agricultural site being redeveloped as affordable housing. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Commission for unanimous vote of approval.
First Private Party Brownfields Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in the City of Miramar. Obtained first ever private party Brownfield Area designation in the City of Miramar (November 2011) for a former golf course being redeveloped as multifamily housing. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Council for unanimous vote of approval.
First Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in the City of Hallandale Beach. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the City of Hallandale Beach (June 2004) for a 4-acre construction and demolition debris and automotive debris lakefill. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Commissioner for unanimous vote of approval. Responsible for managing all aspects or environmental legal and environmental engineering work associated with remediation.
First Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in Broward County. Successfully negotiated the first Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement in Broward County with Broward County's Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department ("EPGMD").
First Private Party Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in Miami-Dade County. Obtained first ever private party Brownfields Area designation in Miami-Dade County (May 2003) for a former 435-acre former landfill being redeveloped as industrial warehouses. Worked closely with elected officials, the County Manager, Economic Development Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before Miami-Dade County Commission for unanimous vote of approval.
First Private Party Brownfields Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in the City of Auburndale. Obtained first ever private party Brownfield Area designation in the City of Auburndale (December 2002) for a former nursery site redeveloped as big box retail. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Commission for unanimous vote of approval.
First Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in the City of North Miami. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the City of North (January 2013) for an under one-acre former retail fueling station and automotive service shop with petroleum contamination in soil and groundwater. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Council for unanimous vote of approval. Drafted and, with assistance from client’s environmental consultant, negotiated Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement.
First Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in the City of North Miami Beach. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the City of North Miami (December 2002) for a 13-acre former construction and demolition debris landfill redeveloped as Publix anchored retail center. Worked closely with elected officials, the City Manager, Development and Planning Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before City Council for unanimous vote of approval. Helped client work through lender’s concerns regarding environmental issues to secure $30 million in financing. Responsible for managing all aspects or environmental legal and environmental engineering work associated with project during the Firm’s term of engagement.
First Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in Citrus County. Obtained first ever private party Brownfields Area designation in Citrus County (July 2002) for a former asphalt and concrete plant redeveloped as big box retail. Worked closely with elected officials, the County Manager, Economic Development Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before Miami-Dade County Commission for unanimous vote of approval.
First Brownfield Area Designation and Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement in Key Biscayne. Obtained first ever Brownfields Area designation in the Village of Key Biscayne (November 2022) as environmental counsel to the Village for a former gas station being redeveloped into a public park. Worked closely with elected officials, the Village Manager, Park and Recreation Staff, and community stakeholders to successfully bring item before the Village Council for unanimous vote of approval. Also negotiated the first Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement for property subject to remediation in Key Biscayne and providing environmental counsel and regulatory guidance to Village staff to streamline and reduce costs for addressing contaminated soils.

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Executive Committee Member, National Brownfields Coalition

In March 2009, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to the Executive Committee of the National Brownfields Coalition, a non-partisan alliance of public interest organizations, academics, as well as public and private sector professionals who raise awareness about, as well as develop and advocate for policies and practices that support, the remediation and redevelopment of brownfields nationwide. In 2019, he was appointed to its Steering Committee. He currently serves as Chair of the Coalition’s Committee on Public Policy, Redevelopment Incentives, and Regulatory Partnerships and as a member of the Coalition’s Environmental Justice Committee and its Advocacy and Outreach Committee.
Chair, Public Policy, Redevelopment Incentives, and Regulatory Partnerships Committee, National Brownfields Coalition
In 2020, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to serve as Chair of the National Brownfields Coalition’s Public Policy, Redevelopment Incentives, and Regulatory Partnerships Committee. In this capacity, he has appeared as a witness before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to provide recommendations on Brownfields Reauthorization and the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment to provide testimony on environmental justice initiatives related to brownfields redevelopment. He has also presented on the Coalition and Committee’s priorities to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, and across the country to industry and professional groups with a key emphasis on reinstating the Brownfields Federal Tax Incentive (§198 of the IRS Tax Code), the establishment of a Federal Brownfields Loan Guarantee Program, additional Low Income Housing Tax Credits for developers of affordable housing, expansion of federal legal liability protections under Superfund and the Resource Conversation and Recovery Act, and greater technical and financial involvement by Army Corps of Engineers, Housing and Urban Development, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Economic Development Administration with state, tribal, local government, not- for-profit, and private sector stakeholders.
National Review Panel, 2023 National Brownfields Training Conference
In February 2023, appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the International City/County Management Association to the national review panel for the 2023 National Brownfields Training Conference to assist in the development of educational programming for the Environmental Justice and Public Participation Track. The National Brownfields Training Conference is the premier global forum for sustainable redevelopment of environmentally impaired properties and communities around the world.
Founding Chairman and President, Florida Brownfields Association
In May 2002, Mr. Goldstein was one of the founding Board members of the Florida Brownfields Association and unanimously elected by his peers and colleagues in the private and public sector to serve as its first Chairman and President. The Florida Brownfields Association is a statewide coalition of public sector and private sector stakeholders working on an array of legislative, policy, legal, public health, and environmental justice initiatives to improve the pace and scope Brownfields restoration and economic revitalization in Florida. Mr. Goldstein was unanimously reelected to a second two-year term in July of 2004 that concluded in 2006.
Board of Directors and Co-Chair of Legislative & Policy Committee, Florida Brownfields Association
In October 2013, Mr. Goldstein was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the Florida Brownfields Association. In May 2013, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to Co-Chair the Legislative & Policy Committee of the Florida Brownfields Association and is actively involved in preparing amendments to Florida’s Brownfields Redevelopment Act to be considered by the Florida Legislature in the 2014 session that would improve the Brownfield designation process and expand the scope and impact of economic and liability protection incentives available to developers, end-users, lenders, and local governments.
President and Chairman, Goldstein Brownfield FoundationIn 2008, Mr. Goldstein established the Goldstein Brownfield Foundation, a 501(3)(c) and Florida not-for- profit, to raise money for and provide scholarships for minority college and law students who want to pursue careers in environmental law, environmental redevelopment law, and environmental public health; to raise money for, fund, and stage and/or support Brownfields-related programming for local government staff and officials, community based stakeholders, and students, teachers, and professors; and to raise money for, fund, initiate, and coordinate the restoration, redevelopment and reuse of Brownfield sites in environmental justice communities in Florida that lack a private sector advocate. The Foundation issued its first Brownfields grant to the Environmental Law Institute in support of its January 25, 2008 Workshop entitled, "Community Justice, Health, and Wealth: Restoring Neighborhoods through Brownfields Redevelopment," in Jacksonville, Florida. In the Fall of 2008, the Foundation issued its first scholarship, a $10,000 award to a law student from Haiti, who wrote in his grant application that it is his "hope that as a Haitian environmental attorney in the United States, I will not only be able to serve my clients effectively, but also help sustainably develop distressed Haitian communities in the United States and in Haiti." In April 2009, the Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to support and recognize the leadership of the Northeast Midwest Institute in promoting federal legislative change and educational outreach to further environmental restoration, economic development, and public health improvement and protection at the community level. The Foundation also assisted the City of Miami draft and successfully apply for a $500,000 Job Training Grant and assisted in the teaching of classes and providing career mentoring to over 120 participants.
President and Chairman, Goldstein Brownfields GroupIn 2008, Mr. Goldstein founded the Goldstein Brownfields Group, a Miami-based development and consulting firm that focuses exclusively on the acquisition, cleanup, restoration, and sustainable reuse of environmentally impaired properties. The Goldstein Brownfields Group works with public and private companies, lenders, individual buyers and sellers, local governments, regional partnerships, regulatory agencies, consulting and engineering professionals, public health advocates, environmental justice stakeholders, and neighborhood activists to arrive at consensus-driven remediation solutions and redevelopment strategies designed to eliminate threats to human health and the environment, reduce pollution, strengthen neighborhoods, reuse existing infrastructure, promote green construction, expand renewable energy production and infrastructure, create jobs, generate meaningful financial equity and economic opportunity for neighborhood residents, and encourage further investment of private capital in distressed communities. Successful projects include acquisition and cleanup of a former incinerator ash and municipal solid waste landfill in West Palm Beach and its redevelopment into four separate parcels for gasoline and convenience sales (Wawa), automotive sales and servicing (Mitsubishi), self-storage (Expess Storage) and car washing
Chairman, Miami-Dade County Brownfields Oversight Committee and Miami-Dade County Brownfields Task Force
In 1995, Mr. Goldstein petitioned the Miami-Dade County Commission to empanel and empower an advisory board that would develop recommendations to encourage investment by the private sector in brownfield properties through the establishment of grants, low interest revolving loans, and the amendment of the County's environmental protection code to provide liability clarification and protection. As a result of his efforts, the Board of County Commissioners created the Miami-Dade County Brownfields Task Force in 1996, which Mr. Goldstein was appointed to as Chairman. In 1999, the Task Force was reauthorized as an Oversight Committee and charged with implementing the recommendations developed by the Task Force. He was again appointed to serve as Chairman and continued in that role working closely with senior DERM management as well as Miami-Dade County elected officials and staff on a host of related policy, programmatic, funding, and educational initiatives until 2005, when the Committee was sunseted.
Chairman, Miami-Dade County Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Review Committee
In 2003, Mr. Goldstein was selected by the Miami-Dade County Department of Community and Economic Development to Chair the loan committee it established to review and make recommendations with respect to applications to its Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund for environmental assessment and remediation funding.
Planning Committee Chair and Member, Annual Florida Brownfields Conference
Mr. Goldstein has been an active participant in organizing the last six statewide brownfield conferences. In 2006 he served as Chairman of the Ninth Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, held in Miami, and in 2000 he served as Planning Committee Chairman of the Third Annual Florida Brownfields Conference held in Miami Beach.
Advisory Board Member, Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs ("BNA") Environmental Due Diligence Guide

In January of 2006, Mr. Goldstein was appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of Bloomberg BNA's highly respected Environmental Due Diligence Guide, which serves as a national reporting, editorial, and opinion forum for environmental transactions and related Brownfields and policy matters.

Founder and Chair, New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition

Michael is the founder and chair of The New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition, the only national symposium focusing exclusively on the restoration, redevelopment, and reuse of contaminated gas station sites, which convened for the first time in June 2014. The conference was designed to provide a powerful forum for owner/operators, dealers, property developers, capital providers, funds, lenders, retailers, brokers, consultants, contractors, engineers, planners, architects, attorneys, local government officials, regulators, law makers, and energy advocates (among many others) to discuss and take advantage of the rapidly accelerating and increasingly innovative and profitable market for reuse of closed gas station properties across the country. The program offered over 28 educational sessions and ample learning, networking, and deal sourcing opportunities in support of closed gas station redevelopment and reuse. Case studies emphasized technical, design, construction, legal, and economic incentive strategies for resurrecting closed gas station sites for reuse as neighborhood banks, corner pharmacies and groceries, affordable and workforce housing, retail and commercial businesses, health care facilities, and public parks and also explored their reintroduction into the ever-expanding retail fueling and convenience store sector.

SELECTED LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS

“Federal and State Economic and Regulatory Incentives to Promote Cleanup and Reuse of Environmentally Challenged Sites in Lake Park’s Industrial Corridor,” Lake Park Town Hall, May 2017

“Utilizing Brownfields Strategically to Attract Private Capital & Accelerate Economic Development, Job Creation & Environmental Restoration: an Immersion Workshop and Opportunity Incubator for the City of Doral,” Doral City Hall, April 2017

“Do Not Avert Your Eyes, the Brownfields Due Diligence Market Is Better than You Think: An Assessment of the Consulting and Engineering Services Market for Contaminated Land Redevelopment Support in Florida,” EDR Due Diligence at Dusk Seminar, March 2017

“Notes from the (Brown) Field: An Environmental Primer to Help CCIMs Successfully Navigate Contaminated Land Transactions in South Florida, Miami-Dade CCIM District Meeting, February 2017

“Notes from the (Brown) Field: Limiting Consultant Exposure to Malpractice Risk at Contaminated Redevelopment Sites,” 23rd Annual Florida Remediation Conference, December 2016

“‘Landfills, Golf Courses and Gas Stations, Oh Buy!’ – The Hottest Plays in Florida Brownfields and the Most Effective Technical, Regulatory, Legal, and Environmental Justice Strategies for Redevelopment Success,” Annual Florida Environmental Network Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2016

“Strategies for Addressing Environmental Legal Liability to Structure and Close Brownfield Transactions,” Florida Department of Environmental Protection Southeast District Brownfields Workshop, March 2016

“Federal, State, and Local Tools for Obtaining Financing for Environmental Redevelopment,” Brownfields for Bankers Workshop Hosted by Kentucky Brownfields Program and Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis, March 2016

“The Wolf at the Door and the Blind Eye: Regulatory, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Contamination Reporting for the Florida Environmental Professional under State Law and Local Ordinances in the Context of Real Estate Transactions and Brownfields Redevelopment,” 21st Annual Florida Remediation Conference, October 2015

“Too Toxic? The Transactional and Legal Challenges of Non-Statutory Environmental Liability at Brownfield Sites,” U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, September 2015

“Brownfields Funding and Regulatory Solutions for Public Sector Planners and Private Sector Principals,” Annual Florida Environmental Network Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2015

“Redevelopment and Reuse Design, Funding, and Compliance Strategies for Local Government Owned Landfill Sites in Miami-Dade County Pursuant to the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Landfill Closure Plan,” The Goldstein Environmental Law Firm Special Topics in Brownfields Reuse Seminar Series, May 2015

“How to Work with Developers towards a Successful Brownfields Redevelopment,” 1st Annual Southeast Region Brownfields Conference, October 2014

“Legal and Regulatory Strategies to Overcoming Environmental Liability Risk at Urban Infill Redevelopment Sites,” Plenary Address, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV Brownfields Grantee Workshop, October 2014

“Structuring Environmental Justice and Sustainability: A Model Partnership for Universities, the Community, and the Private Sector,” Environmental Justice and Sustainability Forum, Florida A&M University, October 2014

“Design, Legal, Regulatory, and Business Strategies for Reusing Former Petroleum Fueling Properties,” New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition, June 2014

“Limiting Exposure to Environmental Legal Liability during Construction Activities at Former Petroleum Fueling Properties,” New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition, June 2014

“The Powerful and Proven Redevelopment Marketplace for Former Manufacture Gas Plant Sites: A Brownfields Approach to Reuse through Financial Incentives & Liability Protection,” Annual Manufactured Gas Plant Conference and Exhibition, April 2014

“The State of Brownfields in Florida in 2013,” Keynote, Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2013

Legal Strategies for Developers, Design Professionals, Engineers, and Contractors to Maintain Federal and State Environmental Liability Protection during Construction Activities at Contaminated Sites,” Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2013

“Shine on Florida – Reuse of Brownfield Sites for Renewable Energy Production,” Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2013

“The Business Case for Brownfields Redevelopment – Helping Developers, Tenants, Local Governments, and Lenders Tackle Environmentally Complex but Strategically Located Sites,” The Florida Remediation Conference, October 2013

“Utilizing Brownfields Strategically to Attract Private Capital & Accelerate Economic Development, Job Creation, and Environmental Restoration,” City of Miami Gardens Community and Business Stakeholder Workshop, October 2013

“The Florida Brownfields Program in 2013: Advanced Strategies for Best Project Planning, Maximizing Incentives, and Effective Practice and Procedure,” 27th Annual Florida Environmental Network Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2013

“The Conflicting Currents of The Florida Brownfields Program in 2013: A Primer on Policy, Procedure, Best Project Planning Practices, and Maximizing Incentives to Promote Environmental Restoration and Economic Redevelopment,” Florida Brownfields Association Webinar, June 2013

“The Making of a New Brownfield Redevelopment Market: Regulators, Local Governments & the Public Sector Discovering and Perfecting Landfill Reuse to Unlock Intrinsic Value, Create New Neighborhoods and Usable Places, and Amplify Sustainability,” U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, May 2013

“Want It, Need It, Had It, Lost It: A Critical Guide to Maintaining Environmental Liability Protection During Development and Construction Activities at Brownfield Sites,” U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, May 2013

“The Financial and Liability Management Case for Redeveloping and Closing Contaminated Sites through the Florida Brownfields Program,” Florida Remediation Conference, May 2013

“Brownfields Policy and Practice for Planners,” Miami-Dade County Planner’s Association, April 2013

“Strategies for Redeveloping Petroleum Contaminated Sites for Neighborhood Retail & Healthcare Uses,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals Webinar, December 2012

“Florida’s Powerful Environmental Redevelopment Program and Economic, Regulatory, and Technical Resources and Strategies for Urban Communities,” Urban League of Pinellas County, October 2012

“Want It, Need It, Had It, Lost It: A Critical Guide to Maintaining Environmental Liability Protection During Development and Construction Activities at Brownfield Sites,” Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2012

“Environmental Legal Issues Associated with Underground Storage Tanks Discharges and the Remediation, Redevelopment & Reuse of Retail Fueling Stations,” National Institute of Storage Tank Management Annual Florida Seminar, October 2012

“The Law of Environmental Contamination and Its Relationship to Economic and Liability Limitation Incentives under the Florida Brownfields Program,” City of St. Petersburg Florida Brownfields Workshp, September 2012

“Restoration, Redevelopment, and Reuse of Former Gas Station Sites: Environmental Liabilty Risks, Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies,” Florida Petroleum Marketers Association Annual Conference & Exhibition, July 2012

“A Proposal to Amend Florida’s Brownfields Redevelopment Act to Improve the Designation Process and Enhance Financial and Liability Incentives Available to Developers, Lenders, End-Users and Local Governments,” 26th Annual Florida Environmental Network Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2012

“Brownfield Incentives for Job Creation in Florida,” Florida Bar Joint Seminar of Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section and City, County, and Local Government Law Section, June 2012

“Powering Up Brownfields to Accelerate Sustainable Reuse and Economic Revitalization,” The Legal Side of Economic Finance and Development Seminar presented by 1000 Friends of Florida, March 2012

“Powering Up Brownfields: Siting Renewable Energy on Contaminated Sites & Abandoned Mines,” 25th Annual Environmental Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2011

“Connecting Sites to Neighborhoods: Accelerating Brownfields Reuse Through Planning & Design,” 25th Annual Florida Environmental Network Summer School Conference & Exhibition, July 2011

“Now You See It, Now You Don’t: The Elusive Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Defense under CERCLA,” Buerau of National Affairs Webinar Presenation, July 2011

“Structuring Exposure to Environmental Risk to Incentivize Private Capital Investment and Catalyze Redevelpment at ‘Place-Making’ Brownfield Sites,” Joint Florida Brownfields Association and U.S. Enviornmental Protection Agency Improving Access to Healthcare through Brownfields Redevelopment Workshop, June 2011

“Green Collar Employement Opportunities in Fast Expanding New Environmental Economy,” Goldstein Brownfields Foundation Lecture Series, City of Miami Brownfield Job Training Grant Program, May 2011

“Cutting-Edge Brownfields Strategies: Getting the Deal Done in a Distressed and Evolving Market,” U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, April 2011

“Integrating Development Design, Construction Planning, and Deal Structure to Manage Environmental Risk on Brownfield Sites,” U.S. Green Building Council Branch Meeting, February 2011

“Designing, Structuring, and Implementing a Brownfields Approach for Reuse of Contaminated Sites and Landfill to Unlock Intrinsic Real Estate Value, Create New Neighborhoods and Usable Places, and Amplify Sustainability,” 10th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Annual Conference, February 2011

“The Brownfields Design Collective: Maximizing Results through Innovative Strategies,” Bureau of National Affairs Audio Conference and Webinar, December 2010

“Working with U.S. EPA’s Repowering America Initiative to Pursue Renewable Energy Development on Brownfield Sites,” U.S. EPA Renewable Energy Roundtable at 13th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, November 2010

“Environmental Justice and Brownfields Redevelopment,” 1st Annual Environmental Law and Justice Conference, Florida A&M University Law School, November 2010

“Effective Environmental Due Diligence and Management of Environmental Consultants in the Redevelopment of Contaminated Sites and Brownfields for Retail Reuse,” International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference, October 2010

“Implications of Hometown Democracy and Florida Constitutional Amendment 4 on Environmental Redevelopment Initiatives,” Miami-Dade County Bar Association Environmental & Land Use Law Committee, September 2010

“A Deeper Shade of Green for Local Governments: Adding Blue to Brownfield Sites to Expand Renewable Energy Infrastructure,” South Florida Regional Planning Council, September 2010

“The Brownfields Design Collective: Maximizing Project Results and Community Acceptability through Innovative Planning & Construction Strategies,” Gold Coast Section of the American Planning Association – Florida Chapter, September 2010

“Brownfields State of the Industry: Policy Initiatives & Regulatory Trends, Design Innovations & Deal Economics, and Business Opportunities for Environmental Professionals & Community Building Opportunities for Local Governments,” Florida Chamber’s 24th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2010

“Site Selection and Permitting Considerations for Developing Renewable Energy Projects on Contaminated Lands,” Florida Biofuels Association Permitting and Feedstock Workshop, July 2010

“Leveraging Florida’s Brownfields Opportunities for Siting, Constructing, and Financing Renewable Power Projects,” 2nd Annual Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy Conference, March 2010

“Brownfields Economic Incentive Programs & Transactional Strategies to Structure & Close Real Estate Deals Impacted by Environmental Issues,” Commercial Real Estate Women-Miami & Commercial Industrial Association of South Florida Joint Market Briefing, March 2010

“Sustainable Remediation of Brownfield, RCRA, and Superfund Sites as Cutting Edge Strategy to Limit Liability and Manage Costs Associated with Contaminated Land Recycling,” U.S. EPA National Brownfields Conference, November 2009

“Legal Strategies for Industrial, Retail, Renewable Energy, and Conservation Reuse of Superfund Sites,” 13th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, November 2009

“Development and Operation of Biofuel Projects in Florida: Opportunities and Challenges for Industry, Community, and State and Local Government Stakeholders,” Florida Biofuels Association Annual Strategic Meeting, July 2009

“Environmental Justice and Brownfields Redevelopment,” Interview on Radio Green Earth, July 2009

“A Close Look at Federal Stimulus Incentives for Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment in Florida,” Florida Chamber’s 23rd Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2009

“Legal, Technical, Regulatory, and Design Issues and Opportunities Associated with Biofuel Facility Permitting at Brownfields Sites,” National Waste-to-Fuels Association Annual Conference, May 2009

“LEED Construction and Brownfields Redevelopment: Cutting Edge Strategies for Sustainable Reuse,” U.S. Green Building Council, Broward County Chapter, May 2009

“WALEE in Real Life: Emerging Opportunities for New Lawyers in the Fast Expanding Fields of Water, Air, Land, Earth, and Energy,” FIU School of Law Earth Day Panel, April 2009

“Trends in Brownfields Reuse & Renewable Energy,” Florida Chamber’s 26th Annual Growth Management, Energy, Climate Change & the Environment Short Course, February 2009

“Alternative Energy, Climate Change, and Green Construction and Reuse: The Brownfields Sustainability Connection,” Law Seminars International Growth Management Conference, October 2008

“Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment: The Next Generation,” Bureau of National Affairs Audio Conference & Webinar, October 2008

“Issues in Superfund and RCRA Redevelopment,” 12th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2008

“Practical and Advanced Strategies for Environmental Insurance in Structuring and Closing Contaminated and Near-Contaminated Land Transactions,” 12th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2008

“Trends, Developments, Tools, Resources and Case Studies in Brownfields Restoration and Reuse,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Summer School, July 2008

“Issues in Superfund and RCRA Redevelopment,” 11th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, November 2007

“Practical and Advanced Strategies for Environmental Insurance in Structuring and Closing Contaminated and Near-Contaminated Land Transactions,” 11th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, November 2007

“Trends, Developments, Tools, Resources and Case Studies in Brownfields Restoration and Reuse,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Summer School, July 2007

“Developers Perspective: Packaging Elements of Public Private Financing for Brownfield Projects,” A Conference on Contaminated Property Transactions – Mitigating the Risks of Redevelopment, RTM Communications, April 2007

“Leveraging Brownfields Liability Protections to Structure Real Estate Transactions Involving Contaminated Properties,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual Brownfields Conference, November 14, 2006

“A Decade of Brownfields Redevelopment in Florida: Reflecting on the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Planning for the Future,” Key Note Presentation, 9th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2006

“Issues in Superfund and RCRA Redevelopment,” 9th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2006

“The Brownfields and Public Health Connection,” 9th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2006

“Advanced Seminar on Restoring and Reshaping Florida’s Contaminated Environment,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Summer School, July 2006

“Reshaping South Florida,” Daily Business Review Real Estate Seminar, November 2005

“State of the Brownfields Program: An Overview of Past Accomplishments, Survey of Current Happenings, and Preview of Future Developments,” Keynote Presentation, 8th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2005

“Fundamentals of Brownfields Redevelopment for Local Governments, Community Groups & Developers,” East Coast Florida Regional Planning Council Inaugural Brownfields Workshop, August 2005

“Brownfields Tools and Resources for Closing Commercial and Industrial Deals: A Primer for Real Estate Brokers,” Association of Commercial Real Estate Women, August 2005

“Fundamentals in Brownfields Redevelopment, Reuse, and Community Building: A Primer for Local Governments,” Teleconference Workshop for Georgia Black Mayors co-hosted by U.S. Minority Business Development Association and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, April 2005

“Advanced Strategies for Tapping into Florida Brownfields Incentives,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Winter Growth Management and Environmental Permitting Conference, March 2005″

“Understanding the Role of the Environmental Consultant in Florida Brownfields Redevelopment,” Florida Remediation Association Annual Conference, November 2004

“Advanced Brownfields Strategies for Beginners,” Seventh Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, October 2004

“Understanding the Dynamics and Psychology of Public/Private Redevelopment Partnerships: A Brownfields Primer for Municipal Redevelopment Officials through Case Study and Role Play,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual Brownfields Conference, September 2004

“Brownfields Redevelopment Strategies for Local Governments and CRAs,” Annual Florida Redevelopment Association Conference, September 2004

“Legal and Transactional Brownfields Theory and Practice for Developers, Consultants, and Local Governments,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Summer School, July 2004

“The Badge and The Hard Hat: Competing, Conflicting, and Complementary Roles for the Local Environmental Program as Regulatory Authority and Revitalization Partner in Brownfields Redevelopment,” Annual Meeting of the Association of Florida Local Environmental Resources Agencies, June 2004

“Understanding the Dynamics and Psychology of Public/Private Redevelopment Partnerships: A Brownfields Primer for Municipal Redevelopment Officials through Case Study and Role Play,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual Brownfields Conference, October 2003

“Sustaining Sustainability: Reflections on Brownfields Reuse and Redevelopment in Florida,” Sixth Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, August 2003

“Liability in a Brownfields Environment: Causes of Action, Statutory Defenses, and Transactional Strategies,” Sixth Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, August 2003

“Advanced Seminar on Brownfields Transactional Strategies in Florida,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2003

“A Critical Analysis of the Florida Brownfields Designation Process and Suggestions for Improvements to Substance and Procedure,” Federal Brownfields Partnership Workshop, March 2003

“A Model for Structuring and Coordinating Brownfields Redevelopment and Reuse Projects in Florida in Connection with Recent Federal and State Regulatory and Financial Initiatives,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Winter Growth Management and Environmental Permitting Conference, February 2003

“Opportunities and Challenges for Environmental Professionals in the Brownfields Marketplace,” Florida Remediation Association Annual Conference, December 2002

“Impact of Federal Brownfields Revitalization Act on Redevelopment Projects in Florida,” Florida Redevelopment Association Annual Conference, November 2002

“Strategies for Working through Transactional, Legal, Community, Engineering, and Environmental Justice Issues at Brownfields Projects Located on Superfund Sites,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual Brownfields Conference, November 2002

“Strategies for Creating Brownfields Partnerships at the Regional and Community Level,” 2002 Annual Florida Economic Development Council Workshop, July 2002

“Structuring Brownfields Transactions Utilizing New Federal and State Financial and Regulatory Incentives,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Permitting Summer School, July 2002

“Brownfields Redevelopment Opportunities in the Miami River Corridor,” Urban Land Institute Symposium on Miami River Redevelopment, April 2002

“Greenfields Redevelopment: Remedial Reuse of Brownfields as Public Parks, Ballfields, Conservation Areas and Open Space,” Fourth Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, November 2001

“‘Portfields’ as Brownfields: Economic Redevelopment, Beneficial Reuse, Environmental Restoration and Community Reassurance at Civil and Military Ports, Marinas and Shipyards,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual Brownfields Conference, October 2001

“Brownfields Revitalization Strategies for Communities,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 Brownfields Pilots Workshop July 2001

“Legal and Transactional Issues Associated with the Florida Brownfields Program,” Florida Economic Development Conference, June 2001

“The Brownfields Toolbox: Working with Federal, State and Local Regulators and Economic Program Administrators,” Third Annual Florida Brownfields Conference, September 2000

“Implementing Brownfields Restoration and Redevelopment Plans: An Advanced Survey of Business, Legal and Technical Issues,” Florida Chamber Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2000

“A Guide to Brownfields Redevelopment in Miami-Dade County,” Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Management Pollution Prevention Seminar, May 2000

“Federal Prospective Purchaser Agreements and State Covenants Not to Sue – Tools for Brownfields Redevelopment,” Florida Chamber Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 1999

“Transactional & Litigation Perspectives in Environmental Equity & Justice,” Florida Chamber Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 1999

“Brownfields Law & Practice under the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Act,” Florida Bar Seminar, August 1999

“Brownfields Redevelopment in Florida,” University of Miami School of Law Real Property Institute, May 1999

“From Environmental Liability to Brownfields Asset: Redevelopment of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills,” National Association of Parks and Recreation, February 1999

“Brownfields Essentials: Opportunities & Strategies,” Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Management Pollution Prevention Seminar, 1998

“Reclaiming Contaminated or Abandoned Industrial or Commercial Sites,” National Association for County, Community and Economic Development, 1998

“Navigating Brownfields Legal Issues,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Annual National Brownfields Conference, 1997

“Environmental Liabilities Associated with the Sale, Acquisition and Brokerage of Commercial and Industrial Real Property,” Miami Society of Commercial Realtors, 1997

SELECTED MEDIA ARTICLES

“Senators Urged to Defer EPA Brownfield Sites to States to Speed Cleanups,” Inside EPA, September 28, 2022

“There’s Bipartisan Interest in Reworking the Brownfields Program,” Route Fifty, September 28, 2022
“EPA Urged to Rethink Longstanding Approach to Brownfields Cleanups,” Inside EPA, December 23, 2021
“Contaminated Land? No Worries. Developers Aren’t Shying Away in South Florida: More Brownfield Remediation is Taking Place amid a Shortage of Land and Growing Confidence from Lenders to Fund Development on Such Sites,” The Real Deal, August 20, 2018
The Real Deal Miami, “House Votes to Renew Brownfield Program for First Time in 15 Years,” Bloomberg Environment, November 30, 2017
“Brownfield Status for Brookville Project Means Money for Developers, Frustration for Commission,” Tampa Bay Times, November 29, 2017
“Hernando Commissions Delay Decision on Brownfield Request,” Hernando Sun, November 8, 2017
“EPA Plans for Fewer Superfund Cleanups, More Brownfield Jobs, Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide Report, July 10, 2017
“From Trash to Treasure, Michael Goldstein Touts High Returns in Brownfield Redevelopment” Florida Trend, December 2016
Experts Eye Ways to Expand Transfers of Development Rights,” Miami Today, November 10, 2016
“Former Golf Course Gets Pollution Designation,” Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, November 11, 2015
“Environmental Insurance, State Liability Shields Are Strategies for Non-Statutory Tort Claims,” Bloomberg BNA Environmental Due Diligence Guide Report, September 17, 2015
“Wawa Market on Landing Path as Site near PBIA Gets Initial OK,” Palm Beach Post, March 16, 2015
“Former West Palm Beach Landfill Would Be Cleaned, Converted to Shops,” Palm Beach Post, March 9, 2015
“Environmental Justice Remains a Concern in Brownfield Redevelopment,” Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide Report, October 16, 2014
“DEP Annual Report: State Brownfield Programs, Number of BSRAs on the Decline,” Florida Specifier, October 2014
“North Miami Seeks State Aid to Clean Up Park Site,” Miami Herald, September 29, 2014
North Miami Considers Whether to Invest in Brownfields,” Miami Herald, January 23, 2014
“Designation Moves Seminole Mall Plans Forward,” Tampa Bay Times, November 15, 2013
“State Incentives Fuel Growing Brownfield Reclamation Trend,” Miami Today, October 24, 2013
“New State Brownfield Law Draws Mixed Reviews from Local Governments, Industry Pros,” Florida Specifier, July 2013
“After Ruling, EPA Eyes Updating Guide on Brownfields Liability Defenses,” Inside EPA, June 7, 2013
“Bill Would Tighten Tax Incentives on Pollution,” Orlando Sentinel, May 12, 2013
“Tampa Metals Recycler Hopes for Grant to Help Fund Site Cleanup,” The Tampa Tribune, March 16, 2013
“BJs Wholesale Club Seeks Brownfield Incentives for New Miami Store,” South Florida Business Journal, February 27, 2013
“IKEA Sweetwater to Start Build in 2 Months, Open in Mid-2014,” South Florida Business Journal, February 20, 2013
“Brownfields Loophole Won’t Get Tightened This Year,” Orlando Sentinel, February 12, 2013
“Health Centers Find Opportunities in Brownfields,” New York Times, December 11, 2012
“Limiting Liability in Brownfield Redevelopment; Get Ready for a Higher Degree of Due Diligence, Development, and Design,” Multi-Housing News, November 1, 2012
“St. Petersburg Approves $240,000 Brownfields Tax Break for Sam’s Club,” Tampa Bay Times, June 8, 2012
“Biscayne Landing Frontage on Biscayne Boulevard May Be Sold,” South Florida Business Journal, April 18, 2012
"Inside the Beltway: Can Bipartisanship Boost Brownfields," Brownfield Renewal Magazine, April/May 2011
"Formerly Contaminated Brownfield Sites Now Development Targets," Miami Today, April 28, 2011
"Wal-Mart Seeks Incentives for Miami Store," South Florida Business Journal, April 15, 2011
"Brownfields Coalition Will Continue with Support from Private Stakeholder," Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide, September 16, 2010
"Underground Tank Requirements Force Closures, Free Up Real Estate," South Florida Business Journal, May 14, 2010
"Trend toward Green Remediation is Changing Way Cleanup Professionals View Bottom Line," Bureau of National Affairs Daily Environment Report, November 18, 2009
"Brownfield of Dreams: Lawyer/Developer Investigates Possible Uses of Former Landfill," South Florida Business Journal, September 7, 2009

"Proposed Notification Law in Florida Will Have Chilling Effect on Brownfields," Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide, April 16, 2009

"Infill Development: Return to Center," Real Estate Florida, February/March 2009
"Brownfields Could Yield Future Crop of Profits: The Next Route to Real Estate Green Could Well Be Built over Brown," The Real Deal Magazine, February 2009
"Brownfields Legislation" GlobeSt.Com, April 11, 2008
"Attorney Begins Goldstein Brownfields Foundation," Miami Today, April 3, 2008
"Batting Cleanup," Commercial Property News, November 16, 2007
"Environmental Lawyers Shift Focus from Heavy Industry to Developers," Miami Today, November 9, 2006
"City OKs Wal-Mart's Clean-Up Agreement," Sarasota Herald Tribune, March 21, 2006
"Affordable Housing Planned for Contaminated Dairy Site," Daily Business Review, February 17, 2006
"New MOA Does Little to Help State Brownfields Program, Attorney Says,” Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide, January 19, 2006
"Recycled Real Estate," Florida Trend Magazine, October 2005
"Brownfields Lawyer Says It's Time to Rethink Reuse Strategy," Daily Business Review, September 23, 2005
"More Incentives, Culture Change Critical to Florida Brownfields Program," Bureau of National Affairs Environmental Due Diligence Guide, May 19, 2005
"Brownfields Group Making Push to Enhance Development Incentives," Miami Today, October 28, 2004
"Looking for Green to Fund Brownfields," Orlando Business Journal, March 19, 2004
"Cleanup Hitter: Group Seeks Legislation to Make Polluted Properties in Florida Easier, More Lucrative to Develop," Daily Business Review, November 13, 2003
"When Little Else Available, Developers Turn to Contaminated Lands," Miami Today, July 3, 2003
"Environmental Leaders Clean up Contaminated Sites . . . Develop Parks and Clean Up Beaches and Waterways, "Miami Today, Special Best of Miami Supplement, June 5, 2003
"Tax Breaks Handed Out for Cleanup," The South Florida Business Journal, March 28, 2003
"Go Brown," Staff Editorial, The South Florida Business Journal, March 28, 2003
"Brownfields New Allure," Site Selection Magazine, March 2003
"Pollution Profits," Daily Business Review, November 18, 2002

"Cheerleading for Brownfields," Daily Business Review, November 18, 2002

"Lennar, Nonprofit Try Working Together on Land Preservation," Daily Business Review, June 15, 2002
"Miami Seeks Federal Money to Turn Landfill Into Park,” Daily Business Review, May 21, 2002
"Is Brownfield Designation in Munisport's Future" Daily Business Review, April 22, 2002
"New Life for Tainted Site," Miami Herald, February 7, 2002
"EPA Fund Could Offer Developers Loans to Clean Up Sites," Miami Today, April 19, 2001
"The Marlins' Play on Brownfields," Daily Business Review, March 29, 2001
"'Buried Displeasure,' As Decision Nears on Possible Baseball Stadium Site, Question of Who Will Clean Up Contaminated Site Remains," Daily Business Review, February 28, 2001
"Meeting Aims to Marry Owners of Tainted Lands with Urban Developers," Miami Today, August 17, 2000
"Seminar Addresses Empowerment Zone Brownfields Issues," Miami Today, April 15, 1999
"Brownfields Team Targets April Start for Job Programs," Miami Today, March 15, 1999
"Brownfields Report to Call for Development Partners," Miami Today, March 4, 1999
"Brownfields Task Force Poised to Present Incentives," Miami Today, October 29, 1998
"Brownfields Task Force Tossing a Wider Net," Daily Business Review, September 24, 1997
"State Incentives May Fuel Dade's Brownfields Efforts," Miami Today, May 15, 1997
"Dade Task Force Would Make 'Brownfields' Green," Miami Today, May 30, 1996

PUBLISHED WORK

“The Competition for Brownfield Remediation Grants: Who Has the Advantage in Securing Government Grants to Clean Up Contaminated Land,” Southeast Real Estate Business, October 2012

“Restored Brownfields Bring Jobs,” Sun Sentinel, September 9, 2012

“Grassroots Organizations; Ascendant, Resilient, and Working,” Brownfield Renewal Magazine, April/May 2010

“Inflecting Towards Brownfields: Challenges for the Public and Private Sectors in Siting Renewable Energy Production on Contaminated Sites,” Brownfield Renewal Magazine, February/March 2010

“Brownfield Redevelopment Incentives: A Thing of the Past,” Brownfield News & Sustainable Development, August 2008

“New Brownfields Incentives Add to Diminishing Inventory of Developable Sites in South Florida,” Real Estate Issues, Vol. 28, No. 2, Summer 2003

“Project: Redevelop Florida,” Florida Specifier Newspaper

“Brownfield Program, Opportunities Are Strong Despite Recent [State Auditor’s] Report,” Florida Specifier, April 2002

“A Practitioner’s Guide to the Florida Drycleaning Act,” BNA Due Diligence Guide

“Riding the Solvents Sea of Dry Cleaners,” Florida Bar Journal

“Superfund Reform to Benefit Real Estate Industry,” Florida Real Estate Journal

“How Borrowers Can Address Environmental Liability Concerns,” Florida Real Estate Journal

“The Widening Gyre: Lender Liability Under Federal, Florida & Dade County Law,” University of Miami Business Law Journal

“Negotiation, Management & Litigation Perspectives in Landlord/Tenant Environmental Relations,” Florida Bar Journal

“An Environmental Roadmap for the Eminent Domain Lawyer,” Florida Bar Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure Manual

“Shielding the Commercial Landlord from Environmental Liability,” Environmental & Land Use Section Reporter