Katherine Ghilain Trudell - Sive Paget Riesel

Katie’s practice focuses on environmental review and permitting, environmental litigation, renewable energy development, and regulatory compliance counseling. She guides public entities and private clients through environmental review and permitting processes for waterfront developments and other complex projects. She works to minimize litigation risk and defends against challenges that arise under federal and state laws, including under the National Environmental Policy Act and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. Katie’s renewable energy work is focused on offshore wind; she advised NYSERDA on the development of the New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan and on several other offshore wind initiatives, and she is representing Equinor Wind US in the permitting and development of its Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 projects. She also advises on the permitting and development of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal as a staging facility and operations and maintenance base for the offshore wind industry.

Katie maintains an active pro bono practice focused on the international natural resources trade, biodiversity, and resiliency. In addition to representing environmental organizations that address these issues, Katie submitted statements for the record in two congressional hearings regarding the Lacey Act, the United States’ oldest wildlife conservation law. She also helped develop and present training workshops in Africa to improve the implementation and enforcement of wildlife trafficking and poaching laws.

Prior to joining SPR in 2015, Katie worked in the environmental and general litigation groups of an international law firm, where her practice focused on environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, and complex product liability litigation. During law school, Katie participated in the Natural Resources Defense Council clinical program, was a Notes Editor of the New York University Environmental Law Journal, and was Co-Chair of the Environmental Law Society. Katie earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies from Vassar College, graduating with general and departmental honors.

New York Metro Super Lawyers, Environmental, Rising Star

NYSERDA – Offshore Wind

Location: New York

SPR advises NYSERDA on the various initiatives to facilitate New York State’s offshore wind program. SPR played a significant role in the development of the New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan, the first such plan in the nation, along with its 21 supporting environmental and infrastructure studies. SPR also oversaw the preparation of the environmental review required for the State’s first procurement of Offshore Renewable Energy Credits.

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.

NYSERDA – Western New York Nuclear Service Center at West Valley

Location: West Valley, NY

SPR advises NYSERDA on NEPA and SEQRA matters concerning the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the decommissioning of the West Valley Nuclear Service Center site, which is being undertaken by NYSERDA and the United States Department of Energy.

American Museum of Natural History

Location: New York, NY

SPR represented the American Museum of Natural History with respect to the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation. An approximately 190,000 square-foot addition to the Museum, the Gilder Center houses new and modernized classrooms, stores and displays more of the Museum’s unparalleled collections, and provides innovative exhibition spaces. The firm represented the Museum during the preparation of the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement and successfully defended the Project in New York State Supreme Court. The Appellate Division, First Department unanimously affirmed the Supreme Court’s decision. The Gilder Center opened in 2023.

Lenox Hill Hospital

Location: New York, NY

SPR is serving as environmental counsel for Northwell Health regarding the redevelopment of the Lenox Hill Hospital, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The redevelopment project will make Lenox Hill a state-of-the-art hospital featuring single-bedded patient rooms, advanced and adaptable operating rooms, an enlarged emergency department, and a relocated, improved ambulance bay. While this project began before the pandemic, Lenox Hill’s important role in responding to the COVID-19 crisis in New York City – which quickly became an epicenter for the pandemic – confirmed the need for these changes to better equip the hospital to address future public health challenges and improve the quality of patient care.

Hudson River Park

Location: New York, NY

From its inception, SPR has served as environmental and litigation counsel to the Hudson River Park Trust on major proposed projects in Hudson River Park, most recently Little Island, Pier 57, and Gansevoort Peninsula. Little Island is a distinctive pier offering world-class recreation and performing arts events, with the support of a donation from the Diller/von Furstenberg Family Foundation – the largest gift to a public park in the history of New York State. Little Island was the subject of litigation in state and federal court for over two years, during which SPR successfully overcame a challenge to the Trust’s environmental review and a challenge to the permit issued by the DEC (as co-counsel with the State).

SPR also helped the Trust obtain new permits after the donor terminated and then restarted the Project. Pier 57 was transformed from its original maritime use to an indoor/outdoor public space and food hall. SPR advised the Trust with respect to the preparation of an environmental impact statement for Pier 57 as well as obtaining environmental permits. The Gansevoort Peninsula is a public beach and passive recreation space that replaces a former sanitation facility. SPR advised on environmental permitting and represented the Trust in litigation challenging the Gansevoort Peninsula project.

“Climate Change and the Biden Energy Agenda”

For: Practicing Law Institute, Environmental Regulation in Practice 2021: New Challenges and Priorities

September 17, 2021 | Co-Presented by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (with Stacey Bosshardt and Rick R. Rothman)

“U.S. Offshore Wind Permitting and Development: The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind”

For: Quimbee

August 2021 | Co-Presented by Dan Chorost and Katherine Ghilain Trudell

“Federal Permitting Challenges Facing the Development of Offshore Wind”

For: US, Business Network for Offshore Wind International Partnering Forum (with Kim Fitzgibbons, Justin Krebs, Michelle Morin, Amanda Evans, and Ravi Laljani)

July 23, 2020

“What Your Phase I Won’t Tell You About Developing a Waterfront Site in New York City”

For: Environmental Law in New York Vol. 31, No. 79

2020 | Written by Michael Bogin and Katherine Ghilain Trudell

“Environmental Law: Developments in the Law of SEQRA”

For: 68 Syracuse Law Review 837; Co-Author(s): Mark A. Chertok, Katherine Ghilain Trudell

2018 | Written by Mark Chertok and Katherine Ghilain Trudell

“Environmental Law: Developments in the Law of SEQRA”

For: 67 Syracuse Law Review 897

2017 | Written by Mark Chertok, Katherine Ghilain Trudell, (and Victoria S. Treanor)

“Environmental Law: Developments in the Law of SEQRA”

For: 66 Syracuse Law Review 905

2016 | Written by Mark Chertok, Katherine Ghilain Trudell (and Victoria S. Treanor)

“Recent Pa. Fracking Charges May Set a New Trend”

For: Environmental Law 360, Energy Law 360 and Pennsylvania Law 360;

October 15, 2013 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (and Jeremy Peterson)

“The 2008 Lacey Act Amendments and the Fight Against Illegal Logging”

For: Bloomberg BNA’s International Trade Reporter

July 11, 2013 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (and Marcus A. Asner)

“TSCA, FIFRA, and Perhaps EPCRA Likely to Play Featured Roles in the Piecemeal Development of Federal Fracking Regulation, 14 Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know”

For: Committee Newsletter, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, American Bar Association;

February 2013 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (and Shailesh R. Sahay)

“The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Overseas Environmental Crimes: Analyzing the Intersection of Two Risk Areas”

For: Bloomberg BNA

October 23, 2012 | Co-Presented by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (with Marcus A. Asner and Samuel M. Witten)

“With Gibson Settlement, ‘Due Care’ is Slightly More Clear”

For: Hardwood Floors

October/November 2012 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (Marcus A. Ashner and Samuel M. Witten)

“Gibson Guitar, Forfeiture, and the Lacey Act Strike a Dissonant Chord”

For: Bloomberg BNA Daily Environmental Report, Daily Report for Executives, White Collar Crime, Report, and International Environment Reporter; Co-Author(s):

September 4, 2012 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell (Marcus A. Asner, and Maxwell C. Preston)

“Improving Community Character Analysis in the SEQRA Environmental Impact Review Process: A Cultural Landscape Approach to Defining the Elusive “Community Character”

For: 17 New York University Environmental Law Journal 1194

2009 | Written by Katherine Ghilain Trudell

Equinor Becomes Leading U.S. Offshore Wind Developer with 2,500 Megawatt Award from New York State

In his January 13, 2021 State of the State address, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York will contract with Equinor Wind US LLC (Equinor) for 2,490 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind energy, the largest combined procurement of offshore wind energy ...

Meet Katie Ghilain, Who Was Recently Promoted From Associate to Principal at SPR

Katie has always had a passion for the environment. Throughout her studies at Vassar College and NYU Law, she focused on how her varied areas of interest -- law, public policy, scientific inquiry and economics -- all intersect in the search for ...

Appellate Division Affirms Dismissal of Challenge to the American Museum of Natural History’s Gilder Center Project

In a decision dated April 18, 2019, the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously and emphatically affirmed a lower court ruling dismissing the lawsuit challenging the legality of the American Museum of Natural History’s Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The Gilder Center ...

SPR Solidifies Its Position at the Forefront of Efforts to Bring Offshore Wind Energy to New York State

In February 2019, SPR closed a deal in which port developer Atlantic Offshore Terminals LLC acquired the future epicenter of offshore wind development in New York State. The offshore wind energy industry is emerging rapidly in the northeastern United States, and a critical component of its success is the establishment of ...

NY Supreme Court Dismisses ULURP/SEQR Challenge to American Museum of Natural History’s Gilder Center Project

In a decision dated December 10, 2018, Hon. Lynn Kotler of the New York Supreme Court, New York County, dismissed in its entirety litigation challenging the legality of the American Museum of Natural ...

New York Moves Closer to Offshore Wind Energy Procurement

On July 12, 2018, the New York State Public Service Commission (“PSC”) issued an Order directing the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) to begin soliciting bids for approximately 800 MW of offshore wind capacity in the fourth quarter of 2018, taking the State closer to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s ...