Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007 
Thomas Burack is an attorney with Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA in Manchester, New Hampshire whose practice focuses on Environmental Law and related regulatory and business matters. With more than 35 years of experience in environmental and public policy matters, including more than a decade serving as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Tom brings a practical understanding of how government agencies operate and how environmental regulations affect businesses, organizations, and communities.
Tom represents manufacturers, energy suppliers and generators, real estate and housing developers, property owners, municipalities, nonprofits, family trusts, and businesses of all sizes in environmental, energy, and climate-related matters. His work frequently involves regulatory compliance, permitting, enforcement proceedings, litigation, contracting, liability issues, and environmental considerations that arise in commercial transactions and development projects.
His Environmental Law practice includes matters involving groundwater contamination, site investigation and remediation, brownfields redevelopment, and environmental due diligence. Tom also advises clients on facility construction and permitting, including alteration of terrain, wetlands, air and water permitting, solid and hazardous waste regulation, and endangered species considerations. He regularly assists clients with water supply development and operations, environmental management systems, and sustainability initiatives.
Tom has represented clients before state and federal regulatory agencies under a variety of environmental statutes and programs, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. His work also involves laws and regulations addressing structural and environmental hazards such as PCBs, asbestos, and lead paint, as well as regulatory frameworks governing dams, wetlands, shoreland protection, and shorefront structures including docks, beaches, marinas, and boat launches.
In the energy sector, Tom works with project developers and host communities on matters involving energy facility siting and regulatory review. His prior service on the State of New Hampshire’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee provides insight into the siting and approval processes for energy infrastructure projects.
Tom also advises clients on environmental planning, organizational governance, and strategic decision-making. He assists organizations with scenario planning and long-term strategy development, helping leadership teams address environmental, regulatory, and operational considerations that affect future growth and sustainability.
In addition to Environmental Law, Tom’s practice includes work involving real estate matters, nonprofit and charitable organizations, and political committees and campaign finance. He frequently collaborates with multidisciplinary legal teams to address complex matters that involve environmental, regulatory, business, and governance considerations.
