Building-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 Post
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 History’s Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation for failure to comply with New York City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure … Read Post
New York Supreme Court Dismisses Challenge to CEQR Technical Manual and Bedford Union Armory Redevelopment

In a decision dated July 11, 2018, Hon. Carmen Victoria St. George of the New York Supreme Court, New York County, dismissed in its entirety litigation challenging the legality of the City Environmental Quality Review (“CEQR”) Technical Manual and the environmental review of the Bedford Union Armory Redevelopment project (the “Project”).[1] The CEQR Technical Manual, … Read Post
New York City Proposes First Stormwater Management Program Regulating Construction Runoff

For the first time, the City of New York has proposed a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to describe how the City will satisfy the requirements of its SPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. This means that, as soon as this fall, certain large construction projects in the City will need City Department of … Read Post
David Paget’s Life and Career Featured in Super Lawyers Article

Super Lawyers magazine’s October 2017 issue features an in-depth profile of SPR founding partner David Paget. The article traces David’s steps from his childhood days growing up in the Lillian Wald Houses on the Lower East Side, to his first meeting with his wife Fay (when they were 16 and 14 years old), through his … Read Post
State and Local Leaders Fight to Uphold America’s Paris Accord Climate Commitments with “America’s Pledge”
Last month, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown launched “America’s Pledge,” an initiative which builds on recently-formed partnerships of American states, cities, and businesses committed to upholding the United States’ pledged greenhouse gas (“GHG”) reductions under the Paris climate agreement (including the “We Are Still In” declaration, the Climate … Read Post
New York City Council Passes Bills to Identify and Address Environmental Justice Areas

Recently, the New York City Council passed two bills to help address environmental justice (“EJ”) issues in the city. Low-income populations and communities of color, including those in New York, often face disproportionate environmental burdens of human activity, such as air pollution and its accompanying health effects. New York City agencies have worked to address … Read Post
NYC Expands Curbside E-Waste Collection Program for Small Buildings

Earlier this month, New York City announced it will be expanding a pilot curbside e-waste pick-up program into a permanent program in four boroughs. The pilot program started in Staten Island in October 2016, and in six months has already collected over 400,000 pounds of potentially hazardous e-waste that would otherwise have been sent to … Read Post
New York State, New York City and Federal Authorities Highlight Living Shorelines for Ecological Preservation and Restoration

Authors: Heewon Kim and Joyce Kung New York State: Proposed Guidance Emphasizes Development of Living Shorelines On December 28, 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) released a draft guidance document highlighting the use of natural and nature-based features in shoreline stabilization, also known as “living shorelines.” The guidance promotes a … Read Post
FEMA, NYC Announce Plan To Re-Revise New York City’s Flood Maps
