Barbara J. Koonz

Bar Admissions

• New Jersey, 1989
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1989
• Pennsylvania, 2007
• Florida, 2012

Representative Matters

• Representing L’Oréal USA in a national real estate and environmental engagement, the firm is 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. Recent work includes advising on the development and opening of the client’s flagship New Jersey Research & Innovation facility, featuring an onsite solar microgrid, battery storage, EV charging infrastructure, and peak-shaving controls.
• 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 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (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.
• The firm is serving as New Jersey counsel to a leading sustainable infrastructure investment firm in the acquisition, financing, and development of fuel cell, solar, and battery storage projects supporting high-demand data centers, with project investments exceeding $200 million.
• 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 developer and lender in the planning and development of an AI data center and on-site energy generation facility in southern New Jersey, providing regulatory, land use, environmental, leasing, real estate and energy law counsel. Contributing to proactive community engagement and supporting local, state, and utility approvals and permitting for a large-scale, infrastructure-intensive $1.7 billion project investment.
• 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.
• The firm’s ongoing representation of a powerhouse entity in New Jersey and New York’s commercial real estate sectors includes negotiating rooftop solar leases and transmission easements for community solar projects and advising on regulatory compliance and project development across the client’s significant commercial portfolio.
• Represented a global medical equipment manufacturer in environmental permitting, Industrial Site Recovery Act 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.
• Representing ShelterLogic Group in commercial decarbonization initiatives, including acquisition, relocation, and expansion of solar and energy storage assets and resolution of complex interconnection and transactional issues.
• 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.
• Greenbaum is acting as New Jersey counsel to a multinational chemical manufacturer in more than two dozen federal and New Jersey state court actions alleging air and groundwater contamination caused by the discharge of PFAS substances. The cases include claims of alleged biomonitoring, personal injury, natural resource damage and contamination of a local water supply.
• Provided transactional counsel to the owner and landlord of colocation data centers and negotiated energy supply agreements.  

Memberships

• Commercial Real Estate Development Association, New Jersey (CREDA NJ): Board of Trustees
• American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
• New Jersey State Bar Association: Public Utility Law Section; Environmental Law Section; Corporate Sustainability, Cleantech, and Climate Change Special Committee (member and former Co-Chair)
• New Jersey Builders Association: Environmental Affairs Committee
• Energy Bar Association
• Florida Bar Association
• New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

Announcements