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Jennifer
Coghlan

Principal

Jennifer
Coghlan

Principal

Jennifer works with agencies, developers, consultants, and engineers to guide development projects through environmental review processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and New York City’s Environmental Quality Review (CEQR).  She has also successfully defended against SEQRA and NEPA challenges.

In addition, Jennifer has extensive experience in state, local and federal permitting and review processes, including those of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the New York State Office of General Services, the New York State Department of State and the City of New York.

Jennifer frequently advises clients with respect to the remediation of contaminated sites and brownfield redevelopments and has litigated claims for recovery of remediation costs under the federal Superfund Law (CERCLA), the federal hazardous waste law (RCRA), and the New York State Navigation Law.

Jennifer also has experience in environmental litigation before federal, state, and local trial and appellate courts. In addition, she has represented clients in administrative proceedings before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the NYSDEC and the New York City Environmental Control Board.

In recent years, Jennifer has advised with respect to the environmental review and permitting for several large infrastructure projects, including transportation projects, port facility development and coastal resiliency initiatives.

Arthur Kill Terminal

Location: Staten Island, NY

SPR is environmental counsel to the developer of the proposed Arthur Kill Terminal, the first offshore wind pre-assembly port facility in New York State. SPR assisted in identifying and acquiring the project site and is shepherding the project through the state and federal permitting and approval processes. This Staten Island project is uniquely positioned to serve the offshore wind industry in the Mid-Atlantic and will form a hub for the development of an offshore wind supply chain. The project will reduce the cost of constructing and operating offshore wind projects, facilitate the realization of significant local economic benefits, create thousands of jobs, provide workforce development and training, and catalyze supply chain investments needed to support offshore wind projects throughout the United States.

Battery Park City Authority – Resiliency Projects

Location: Lower Manhattan, NY

Battery Park City Authority is currently pursuing two resiliency projects – the South Battery Park Coastal Resiliency (SBPCR) Project and the North/West Battery Park Coastal Resiliency (NWBPCR) Project. The projects will protect Battery Park City and adjacent areas of Lower Manhattan from a 100-year storm. SPR advised BPCA with respect to the environmental impact review, permitting and approvals for the SBPCR Project and successfully defended a legal challenge to the sufficiency of the environmental review. That Project is currently under construction. SPR is currently advising BPCA with respect to the environmental impact review, permitting and approvals for the NWBPCR Project.

Bronx Point

Location: Bronx, NY

SPR is representing the development team selected by the City of New York to remediate a long- underused waterfront property, expand and modernize the existing Mill Pond Park, construct new affordable housing and build the Nation’s first brick-and-mortar Hip Hop Museum. SPR is advising as to the remediation of the site under the New York State Brownfield Program and as to state and federal environmental permitting.

The Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge

Location: Westchester County, NY

Sive, Paget & Riesel represented the New York State Thruway Authority, which together with the Metro North Railroad, a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, undertook the Tappan Zee Bridge/I287 Corridor environmental review. This process addressed the possible replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge. The Firm advised the Project Sponsors with regard to the environmental review of the proposal pursuant to both NEPA and SEQRA, as well as to environmental permitting and related requirements.

Edge-On-Hudson

Location: Sleepy Hollow, NY

SPR represents Lighthouse Landing Communities LLC, the developer of the former General Motors Assembly site in Sleepy Hollow. The Edge-on-Hudson development is a mixed-use project, including residential, commercial and open space uses on a 97-acre site former industrial property bordering the Hudson River. The Firm has advised the project with respect to acquisition of the land from General Motors and its participation in the Brownfield Cleanup Program through investigation and remediation of this former industrial site. In addition to the Brownfield work SPR also assisted with environmental permitting issues, especially those pertinent to shoreline development, as well as preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Financial District Seaport Resiliency

Location: New York, NY

SPR represents the NYC Economic Development Corporation with respect to the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, which is part of the New York City’s Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project, an unprecedented integrated coastal protection initiative aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise in Lower Manhattan. The Master Plan will set forth a phased approach to implementing coastal resiliency measures in the most low-lying and complex reach of Lower Manhattan. The Firm is environmental counsel on the environmental impact review and permitting for the Master Plan.

BQE Central Project

Location: New York, NY

SPR is advising the New York City Department of Transportation with respect to the environmental impact review of the BQE Central project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and City Environmental Quality Review, as well as the various federal, state and local permit and approvals that would be required. The BQE Central project will address structural and safety concerns along a 1.5-mile segment of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, including the historic “triple cantilever”.

Redevelopment of Former Domino Sugar Factory

Location: Brooklyn, NY

The firm represents The Refinery, LLC, the developer of the former Domino Sugar facility on the East River in Brooklyn, with regard to waterfront permitting. The proposed development involves construction of new buildings that will include up to 120,000 gross square feet (gsf) of retail/commercial space, up to 100,000 gsf of community facility use, and up to 2,400 residential units (2.64 million gsf). Thirty percent of the units will be offered as affordable housing. In addition, the project includes development of approximately 4.1 acres of public open space including an approximately 1-acre lawn at the center of the site and a waterfront esplanade along the East River.

Equinor Wind – Empire Wind Offshore Wind Projects

Location: Long Island, NY

SPR represents Equinor Wind US in the local and state permitting and development, and aspects of federal permitting, for the Empire Wind 1 and the Empire Wind 2 offshore wind projects that will supply New York State with over 2 gigawatts of renewable energy, power 1 million homes, and provide billions of dollars of economic benefits to the State. The projects also are expected to provide tens of millions of dollars in investments in long-term port facilities, related infrastructure, and new technologies. Together, these offshore wind projects will help the State meet the renewable energy and offshore wind capacity mandates set forth in NY’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, diversify NY’s energy portfolio, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SPR assisted Equinor acquire various properties that will support its offshore wind projects, and helps navigate the remediation of those properties thorough the Brownfield Cleanup Program. The Firm also advises Equinor on parkland alienation and conversion issues, on the development of an offshore wind port in New York City that will service Equinor’s offshore wind projects and house the onshore substation for the Empire Wind 1 project, on other required local approvals and land rights, on contractor procurement, and on diligence for private finance relating to environmental permitting and litigation risk. SPR assisted Equinor on the development of the Beacon Wind 1 offshore wind project until early 2024, when Equinor transferred its interest in that project to another offshore wind developer.

Muss Development Corporation – SkyViewParc

Location: Queens, NY

Sive, Paget & Riesel represents the Muss Development Corporation with respect to the development of SkyViewParc, a mixed-use development located on the former Flushing Industrial Park site. SPR assisted with all aspects of the client's application to the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program, including preparation of the initial application, revisions, submission of reports and all other aspects of the State-supervised cleanup of the property. SPR has also assisted the developer in seeking cost recovery from the former owner of the property responsible for the contamination.

La Guardia AirTrain

Location: New York and New Jersey

SPR served as special environmental counsel to the Port Authority of NY and NJ with regard to the environmental impact review under NEPA of a proposed AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport.  The NEPA process included extensive issues under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act with respect to historic resources, as well as permitting issues under the federal Clean Water Act and NYSDEC wetlands regulations.

“Environmental Aspects of Energy Development”

For: ALI Environmental Law Conference

2021 | Presented by Jennifer Coghlan

“Accelerated Environmental Review of Infrastructure Projects”

For: NYSBA Environmental Law Section Annual Meeting

January 2013 | Presented by Jennifer Coghlan

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Incidental Eagle Take General Permits for Wind-Energy Projects

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently proposed to develop a general permit under the Read More

Court Dismisses Challenge to ORES Regulations for Large-Scale Renewables

On October 7, 2021, the Supreme Court, Albany County, dismissed a challenge that sought to vacate the final regulations promulgated in March 2021 by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) pursuant to Executive Law § 94-c. ...

Major Milestones Reached for Important Port Authority Projects

SPR has advised the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) with respect to the environmental impact review of two recently authorized major infrastructure projects. Both projects will play a critical part in the economic recovery and continued vitality of New York City. On May 28, 2021, the Federal Railroad ...

NY’s Governor Cuomo Signs Law Introducing One-Stop Shop for Renewable Energy Project Permitting

On April 3, 2020, with the passage of the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, New York adopted sweeping changes to the siting of large-scale renewable energy projects.[1] The new law will streamline and accelerate the permitting and construction of renewable energy projects, and ...

New York University School of Law, J.D., 2003

Duke University, A.B., 1998, Cum Laude

New York, 2004

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York