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Mayor de Blasio Announces Suite of Historic Buildings Emissions Reduction Laws
To commemorate Earth Day on April 22, 2019, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a groundbreaking suite of laws enacted by the New York City Council to require and facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from a significant number of buildings in NYC. Taken together, the laws represent the most ambitious carbon…
Read MoreAppellate 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 will, inter alia, expand and modernize the Museum’s educational facilities, create…
Read MoreSPR 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 a port facility where…
Read MoreEPA Announces “Action Plan” for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
On February 14th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced its PFAS Action Plan to better understand PFAS chemicals and the extent of existing contamination, prevent future contamination, and more effectively communicate with the public regarding PFAS and associated health and environmental risks. PFAS, a group of chemicals created in the 1940s, exist in a…
Read MoreBuilding-Generated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Addressed in Multiple New York City Council Bills This Session
In pursuit of New York City’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 (a goal known as “80×50”), the City Council is considering multiple bills this session that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from city buildings. Buildings—through their electricity use, heating, and cooling—account for at least two thirds of all greenhouse…
Read MoreTown of East Fishkill Defeats Zoning Challenge
In a decision dated January 7, 2019, the New York Supreme Court, Dutchess County, dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Town of East Fishkill’s 2012 zoning code amendment allowing for remediation and redevelopment of former gas station properties in accordance with the bulk conditions that previously existed on the properties, without need for a special permit…
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