Requires the department of environmental conservation to notify any community board in New York city of any new brownfield site cleanups

2 Co-sponsors

• Andrew J. Lanza
• Diane J. Savino

BILL NUMBER:S4544B

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to requiring the department of environmental conservation to notify the community boards of New York city of any new brownfield site cleanups within such community board's boundaries

Purpose or general idea of bill

Requires the department of environmental conservation to notify any community board in New York City of any new brownfield site cleanups.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 amends subdivision 3 of section 27-1405 of the environmental conservation law, as added by section 1 of part A of chapter 1 of the laws of 2003, to require that the "Brownfield site contact list" shall include "in a city with a population of one million or more, any community board in which such site is located".

Section 2 contains the effective date.

Justification

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulations requires a period of public comment for a brownfield cleanup request. Upon completion of a brownfield cleanup request, the DEC must publish a notification of the commencement of a 30-day comment period on the request to participate in the environmental notice bulletin; and newspaper notices must be prepared by the requestor and, subject to Department review and approval, published in a local newspaper and mailed to the brownfield site contact list.

The additional requirement of notifying local community boards within New York City would allow for notice of opportunity for public comment to be served to interested parties. Community boards hold monthly meetings where they notify the public and local civic organizations of upcoming public hearings for state and city governmental agencies. A requirement to notify local community boards, in addition to other individuals already required to be notified, would also give notice to those residing in the vicinity of the brownfield an opportunity to comment on the planned brownfield cleanup.

Prior legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its

effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.