MARINE & MARITIME AFFAIRS; PORT OF BOSTON ACTIVITIES

Marine Recreational and Industrial Environmental Work

  • Marine Industrial and Boatyards: Buchanan & Associates represents numerous marine services providers, marinas and boatyards throughout Massachusetts. Services have included:
    • Chapter 91 licensing: Ms. Madeja has frequently helped marinas, boatyards and other water-dependent use companies become properly permitted or seek project modifications to their licenses.
    • US Army Corps of Engineers permitting: Ms. Madeja has assisted clients with USACE permitting for structures, mooring fields and dredging.
    • State regulations compliance and negotiating for smaller administrative penalties: A boatyard faced a stiff administrative penalty for disposal of acetone. Ms. Madeja negotiated with environmental officials to purchase new equipment for recycling acetone and over a 50% reduction in penalty.
    • Local mooring issues: A group of concerned marina owners struggled with their town's mooring policy. Ms. Madeja counseled them in drafting and presenting an alternative, equitable moorings policy to protect their marine investment and promote good private management of public trust rights.
    • Obtaining or appealing Orders of Conditions/Wetlands Protection Act work: A marina had a dispute over rights to a water sheet near docks it was seeking to rebuild. Ms. Madeja successfully appealed the neighbor's request for injunction.
    • Environmental or zoning opinions: An investor wanted a professional opinion of a not-yet-built boating facility and hired Ms. Madeja to provide counsel on the feasibility of obtaining the environmental permitting involved.
    • Water-Dependent Use advocacy: A water taxi service needed legal advice on bidding on a service contract; Ms. Madeja counseled it to ensure proper protection of its rights as a business and in the face of competition.
    • Contract Drafting for Marinas and Boatyards: Ms Madeja has drafted new contracts and updated and improved storage and service contracts for Boatyards and Marinas to protect those businesses and their customers from undue legal burdens caused by uncertainty or lack of clarity in their contracts.
    • Advocacy for marine service providers: Ms. Madeja has provided advocacy and guidance for several maritime industrial companies in East Boston and beyond; these companies rely on Ms. Madeja's expertise in maritime affairs. She is a proud member of the Propeller Club, Port of Boston and regularly attends organized gatherings of Port of Boston community members.