Senate Passes Avella's Legislation on Brownfield Cleanups

The state Senate has passed a bill proposed by Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, that would require the city’s Department of Environmental Conservation to notify any community board of new brownfield site cleanups.  

Current DEC regulations require a period of public comment for a brownfield cleanup request. Adjacent property owners, nearby schools and local newspapers must also be notified.  

But Avella said community boards should also be notified because they are often instrumental in soliciting public comment from the neighborhoods they represent.  

“Brownfield cleanups are significant environmental projects that can have a widespread impact on residents and the local community,” Avella said. “Often times, these brownfield cleanup projects, when finished, lead to large developments that also impact the quality of life for residents. Community boards play an important role in these land use decisions and, therefore, it is critical that they are also notified of any new brownfield site cleanups.”  

A brownfield site is real property, the redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a contaminant, such as hazardous waste or petroleum.  

Avella said he was inspired to introduce the bill by the Waterpointe-Whitestone brownfield site. Community Board 7 had been holding committee meetings regarding the site, but were never informed of the initial plan for a cleanup at the site.