DeCotiis

Ryan Scerbo is a partner in the firm's Teaneck office. He joined DeCotiis in 1999 and became a partner in 2003. He is a member of the Environmental Law and Green practice groups.

For the past 10 years, Mr. Scerbo has represented large public clients specializing in wastewater treatment, drinking water treatment and supply, and transportation, as well as large-scale private developers focusing on retail, golf, residential, resort and hotel development.  Mr. Scerbo has assisted clients in applying for, and complying with, numerous types of state, Federal and local permits and approvals as well as unique land acquisition issues.

Mr. Scerbo’s practice includes water supply permitting, flood hazard area permitting, freshwater wetlands permitting, coastal permitting, air permitting, dam safety permitting, historic preservation and wastewater permitting. He represents clients in Administrative Appeals before the Office of Administrative Law concerning permit appeals and permit enforcement actions taken by regulatory entities.  Recently, Mr. Scerbo assisted the New Jersey Turnpike Authority in obtaining 14 state and Federal permits and approvals for the widening of the Garden State Parkway between Interchange 30 and Interchange 80 and the construction of two new bridge spans over the Bass and Mullica Rivers.

Presently Mr. Scerbo is advising the New Jersey Turnpike Authority on issues related to the design and permitting of the widening of the New Jersey Turnpike from Interchange 6 to Interchange 9.  Mr. Scerbo, as the firm’s lead attorney for this $2.75 billion project, is working closely with the Authority and its professional consultants to obtain multiple state permits and over 350 parcels of additional right of way, including Preserved Farmlands, Green Acres Property, and state-owned lands.

Mr. Scerbo has also been active in the development of the firm’s Green Practice Group.  Working with a large county client and other members of the firm, Mr. Scerbo has assisted in the development of a significant county-wide renewable energy project program. This program, the first of its kind in New Jersey will allow county entities, school districts, municipalities and local sewer and water authorities to obtain long-term, inexpensive renewable energy with no upfront investment.  Mr. Scerbo is experienced in renewable energy regulatory schemes in New Jersey as well as several other states, and has utilized this knowledge to assist clients in evaluating the pros and cons of renewable energy projects.

Mr. Scerbo has co-authored the following articles regarding renewable energy related topics:

"Local Renewables: An emerging Model for Green Power”, Public Utilities Fortnightly (March 2010)

"Public-Private Partnership for Renewable Energy: A Case Study" New Jersey Law Journal (March, 2010)

"A Renewable Approach To State-Imposed RPS," Law360, New York (February, 2010)

"Renewables Portfolio Standards:  the Key to Advancing Renewable Energy," Bloomberg Law Reports – Sustainable Energy (December, 2009)

“Local Government Financing Options for Solar Projects: A Look at Power Purchase Agreements in New Jersey,” Bloomberg Law Reports – Sustainable Energy (Vol. 2, No. 11, November, 2009)

“Regional Renewable Energy; A County Shares the Light with Local Governments,” New Jersey Municipalities (November, 2009)

Representative Cases:

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority – Widening of Garden State Parkway from Mile Post 30 to Mile Post 80 – this $800 million project consisted of the design and permitting of a third travel lane and shoulders northbound and southbound on the Garden State Parkway between South Toms River and Somers Point, equivalent to over 100 lane miles, as well as the construction of new bridge crossings over the Mullica and Bass Rivers.  Mr. Scerbo, as the firm’s lead attorney for this project, worked closely with the Authority and its professional consultants over three years to obtain 14 State and Federal permits and approvals from nine State and Federal regulatory agencies, and multiple parcels of new right of way.  

Golf Course/Resort Facility Water Allocation Permit – Mr. Scerbo, working closely with the client and its project team, assisted in obtaining one of New Jersey’s largest groundwater Water Allocation Permits.  The permit provided the client with authority to utilize enough water to allow a full build-out of the client’s phased development of over 1,500 housing units located at its site in Sussex County.

Mr. Scerbo received his B.S. in Environmental Management from the University of Rhode Island in 1996. He was awarded his J.D. by Pace University Law School in 1999. He is a New Jersey native and lifetime resident.

Bar Admissions:
New Jersey (2000)
New York (1999)