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Devin
McDougall

Associate

Devin
McDougall

Associate

Devin’s practice includes renewable energy, litigation, local government law, and brownfields redevelopment. Devin has particular expertise on solar, and has counselled municipal governments, businesses, investors, and nonprofits on legal aspects of developing photovoltaic generation projects. With respect to litigation, Devin has significant experience in administrative law, and particularly with Article 78 litigation.

Devin’s experience includes representing a major Canadian solar developer on a large community solar project in Minnesota, advising a consortium of municipal governments on collectively purchasing solar for municipal properties, and counselling national companies on deployment of solar and other distributed energy at their facilities. Additionally, he has lectured on community solar issues at Columbia University and the New York State Bar Association. He is a member of the Energy Law Committee of the  New York City Bar Association, and is a graduate of the New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute.

He is an honors graduate of Columbia Law School, and holds a B.A. and M.A. in politics from McGill University. He was born in New York City and is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. He maintains an active pro bono practice, which has included advising nonprofits on sustainability and renewable energy issues domestically and abroad.

Environmental Review
/
Permitting and Litigation for Government-Sponsored Developments

Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Program

Location: Bayonne, NJ | Date: 2014

SPR represented the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (“Port Authority”) with regard to the environmental review and permitting of this project, which will raise the vertical clearance of the Bayonne Bridge over the Kill van Kull for larger container vessels. The environmental reviews were under NEPA, SEQRA and CEQR, as well as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (“NHPA”). Permits from the United States Coast Guard, NYSDEC, and NYSDOT. The Firm also represented the Port Authority in the successful defense of federal litigation under the Administrative Procedures Act challenging the Environmental Assessment for the project.

“Storm King environmental law principle at risk after ruling,” interviewee Devin McDougall

For: lohud.com

March 30, 2013

“Regulatory Best Practices For Remediation of Toxic Legacy Contamination,” co-author

For: Blacksmith Institute

2013

“Reconciling Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife and Massachusetts v. EPA on the Set of Procedural Rights Eligible for Relaxed Article III Standing”

For: Columbia Journal of Environmental Law, Vol. 37, No. 1

2012

New York Denies Water Quality Permit for Another Natural Gas Pipeline

In late April, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYSDEC”) denied a Water Quality Certification (“WQC”) under the Clean Water Act to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company (“Transco”) for the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement natural gas ...

Daniel Riesel and Pamela Esterman to Chair Upcoming Environmental Law Conference

On February 9-10, 2018, SPR principals Daniel Riesel and Pamela Esterman will co-chair the 48th annual ALI CLE Environmental Law Course in Washington, DC. ...

New York State Submits Area Off Long Island to Federal Government for Potential Wind Leasing

This week, the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (“NYSERDA”) officially submitted an area off the coast of Long Island, referred to as an Area for Consideration for the Potential Locating of Offshore Wind ...

Suniva Petition for Tariff on Solar Cell and Panel Imports Threatens Progress of U.S. Solar Development

Although much attention has been focused on the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord, the greatest current threat to solar development in the U.S. is a petition for an import tariff filed earlier this year by Suniva, ...

Maggie Macdonald Speaking at Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference

SPR associate Maggie Macdonald will be speaking at the Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference on Tuesday, June 20,2017, on a panel concerning recent insurance coverage litigation.  The conference will be held at the Westin New York at Times Square.  More information on the conference topics and registration is available

Trump Executive Order Directs EPA and the Corps to Reconsider the 2015 “Clean Water Rule”

On February 28, 2017, the Trump administration issued an Executive Order (the “Order”) directing the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) to begin the process of “revising or revoking” the Obama administration’s 2015 “ Read More

Columbia Law School, J.D., 2012

McGill University, B.A., M.A., 2007, 2009

Member, Committee on Energy Law, New York City Bar Association

Graduate, New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute