Catherine (Katie) M. van Heuven (invited), a partner at Kaplan Kirsch LLP, is an expert on a wide range of environmental and land use issues and specializes in airport and transportation projects. She has advised clients for over twenty years on environmental reviews for ongoing development projects, including the Chicago O’Hare Modernization Program, the LAX Airport Terminal Modernization Project, the Baltimore Red Line project, and the development of a new, supplemental commercial service airport for Las Vegas. Katie also has extensive experience litigating airport issues, including claims arising under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, and various federal aviation statutes. In addition, Katie provides strategic counsel to airport sponsors on regulatory compliance matters including revenue use, grant assurance compliance, obligations arising under federal aircraft-noise statutes and securing FAA approvals related to land acquisition, use, development, and disposal.

Katie has broad experience with environmental and permitting obligations under federal statutes, including the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, the Clean Water Act, and CERCLA. She has represented and advised clients before federal agencies and courts, filed rulemaking comments, and lobbied members of Congress and senior officials at federal agencies.

In addition, Katie has significant public policy experience. She served as the senior legislative assistant on environment, energy, and natural resource issues for former United States Senator Paul Simon, as a policy analyst for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee Constitution Subcommittee, and as a special assistant in the United States Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs.