Skip to content

Jennifer
Coghlan

Principal

Jennifer
Coghlan

Principal

Jennifer regularly works with landowners, developers, consultants and engineers to successfully 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 litigated SEQRA and NEPA challenges.

Jennifer’s practice includes representation of state and local governmental bodies, corporations and individuals in a wide variety of environmental litigation before federal, state, and local trial and appellate courts. Jennifer has litigated claims for recovery of remediation costs under the federal Superfund Law (CERCLA) and the New York State Navigation Law, and has also represented clients in administrative proceedings before the U.S. EPA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York City Environmental Control Board.

She frequently advises clients with respect to remediation of numerous contaminated sites and has successfully guided several sites through the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program.

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

Indian Law

Stockbridge-Munsee Community and Band of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin

Location: Shawano County, Wisconsin | Date: 2011

The firm represented the Stockbridge-Munsee Community and Band of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin in litigation against the U.S. Department of the Interior challenging the denial of an application to place land into trust for a casino. The government reversed its denial of the application.
Brownfields Redevelopment

Muss Development Corporation – SkyViewParc

Location: Queens, NY | Date: 2011

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.

Development And Land Use
/
Environmental Review
/
Permitting and Litigation for Government-Sponsored Developments

The Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge

Location: Westchester, NY | Date: 2014

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.

Environmental Review
/
Permitting and Litigation for Private Commercial Developments

Redevelopment of Former Domino Sugar Factory

Location: Brooklyn, NY | Date: 2014

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.

“Accelerated Environmental Review of Infrastructure Projects”

For: NYSBA Environmental Law Section Annual Meeting

January 2013

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 <...

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 Southern and Eastern Districts of New York