Kay L. Henry

Of Counsel

Kay Henry has practiced in the energy, environmental, and natural resources fields for over twenty years. Today, she advises and represents clients primarily on matters involving natural gas regulation, public lands, natural resources, and environmental compliance.

Professional Background

Prior to joining Van Ness Feldman, Ms. Henry served as the acting Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1996-1997 and again in 2000-2001. As acting Director, she led the bureau responsible for oversight of the implementation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act - the law which sets the guidelines for the regulation of the environmental effects of active coal mining and the reclamation of abandoned mines.

Ms. Henry also served as the Associate Solicitor for Surface Mining and Mineral Resources for the Department from 1993-1996 and 1997-2000. In this position, she was the chief legal counsel for all mineral issues related to the Office of Surface Mining, Minerals Management Service, and Bureau of Land Management. During her tenure, she was involved in a variety of major policy initiatives, including significant revisions of regulations affecting natural resource production on federal lands and state and federal interagency efforts to resolve sensitive environmental issues associated with onshore and offshore minerals development.

From 1987-1993, Ms. Henry was a Senior Attorney with the Coastal Corporation where she provided legal representation and advice on federal regulatory issues affecting interstate natural gas pipeline subsidiaries Colorado Interstate Gas Company and ANR Pipeline Company, as well as Coastal’s production and marketing affiliates. This service was rendered during a critical time when the natural gas marketplace was moving into the more competitive regulatory environment that characterizes the market today

Government Service

Acting Director, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1996-1997, 2000-2001

Associate Solicitor, Office of the Solicitor , U.S. Department of the Interior, 1993-1996, 1997-2000

Trial Attorney, Regulatory Litigation Division, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Energy, 1979-1984

Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Georgia , 1977-1979

Law Clerk, The Honorable Alexander A. Lawrence, United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, 1976-1977