68 New Sites Accepted into Brownfield Cleanup Program

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced another year of successful environmental cleanups in the State's Brownfield Cleanup Program(BCP). In 2023, DEC issued 58 Certificates of Completion to sites in the program and accepted 68 new sites into the BCP, helping protect public health and the environment across New York State while revitalizing neighborhoods and strengthening local economies. 

"During the last two decades, the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program has been successful in improving local economies and the quality of life for New York families, often through the transformation of former industrial properties to support local revitalization efforts," Commissioner Seggos said. "DEC is proud to administer the Brownfield Cleanup Program incentivizing the cleanup of former brownfields, helping to protect public health and the environment, and supporting economic development, including construction of affordable housing and other redevelopment. This valuable program ensures necessary work to address environmental contamination continues, especially in underserved communities most impacted by environmental pollution." 

DEC oversees New York State's BCP to encourage the voluntary cleanup of contaminated properties known as "brownfields" so these sites can be redeveloped and returned to productive use. A brownfield site is any real property where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding health-based or environmental standards or applicable cleanup objectives based on the anticipated future use of the property. The program encourages private-sector remediation of brownfields and promotes redevelopment of these sites to revitalize communities. Site uses include recreation, housing, business, and other functions. The BCP is a sustainable alternative to greenfield development, helping to preserve undeveloped land while removing barriers to, and providing tax incentives for, the redevelopment of brownfields. 

Since its inception in 2003, DEC approved more than 1,300 applications to the BCP and issued Certificates of Completion (COCs) to 653 formerly contaminated properties statewide. DEC issues COCs based on its expert review of a Final Engineering Report, which certifies the remediation work performed by an applicant meets State cleanup requirements for the protection of public health and the environment. The COC triggers the availability of tax credits administered by the New York State Department of Tax and Finance for eligible parties and allows the certificate holder to redevelop the site.  

Construction of new housing, including affordable housing units, was identified as a priority in Governor Kathy Hochul's 2024 State of the State Address, and continues to be an important driver in redevelopment proposals submitted to the BCP. More than 30 of the 58 completed cleanups in 2023 will result in the creation of thousands of affordable housing units across New York City and New York State.  

Some completed BCP projects are located in the New York Department of State's Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA). The BCP and BOA programs complement one another and along with DEC partners, including the State Department of Health and State Homes and Community Renewal, help transform former industrial sites into community assets that support businesses, jobs, and revenue for local economies, as well as new housing opportunities and public amenities. 

Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program is an incredibly effective strategy for returning valuable land to public use, improving health in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution, and expanding the supply of good quality housing from Brooklyn to Buffalo. In 2023, the BCP created thousands of safe, sustainable, and affordable homes for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers and new commercial space to support local revitalization efforts across 30 separate projects. Congratulations to the DEC for another successful year protecting New York’s environment and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in the year ahead.” 

Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said, “In partnership with the DEC’s robust brownfield clean-up program, DOS’s Brownfield Opportunity Area program has transformed unused and blighted eyesores into vibrant community assets throughout the state, particularly in disadvantaged communities that have suffered disproportionately from contaminated land uses. The completion of 58 sites and the acceptance of 68 new sites is an example of a good partnership that can lead to a quality-of-life transformation for its residents through the creation of new opportunities for housing, business development, jobs and public gathering spaces.”  

“The New York State Department of Health is proud to partner with the Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure that remediation of brownfield sites meets public health standards,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “We look forward to continuing our support of the development and revitalization of healthy communities throughout New York State.”

Acting Tax Commissioner Amanda Hiller said, “We’re pleased to be part of the team administering the Brownfield Cleanup Program.  The tax credits associated with the BCP offer important incentives for the cleanup and redevelopment of polluted sites across the state. We look forward to another round of transformative projects this year.”

A few of the successful cleanups completed in 2023 are: 

Atlantic Chestnut (Lot 2), Brooklyn – Site Number C224335 

Atlantic Chestnut Lot 2 is the second of three development sites to complete remediation under the BCP in the Atlantic Chestnut development in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. The 1.7-acre parcel was formerly occupied by multiple industrial uses, including most recently as a commercial dairy distribution company. The on-site buildings were severely damaged by fire. Under the direction and oversight of DEC, the Applicant/developer, Phipps Houses, implemented a comprehensive investigation and took cleanup actions that included a perimeter soil vapor extraction system to capture and treat contaminated soil vapor at the property boundary as an interim remedial measure to protect public health prior to implementing the final remedy, which included excavation of contamination to depths up to 35 feet below grade. The overall Atlantic Chestnut development consists of three similarly sized midrise apartment buildings totaling nearly 1,200 units of affordable housing. AC Lot 2 is a 436-unit building and is one of multiple successful affordable housing developments that DEC completed with Phipps Houses in the New York City region. 

Queens Animal Shelter and Care Center – Site Number C241230 

The Queens Animal Shelter project in Ridgewood, Queens included the construction of a new 50,000-square-foot three-story building to be operated by Animal Care Centers of NYC as an animal shelter, veterinary clinic, and adoption center. The site was formerly used as an auto wrecking facility and salvage yard and was contaminated with petroleum-related compounds and solvents prior to the cleanup. The cleanup was performed by 1906 Flushing LLC and consisted of removal of petroleum sludge covered pavement, excavation and off-site disposal of metal- contaminated soil, treatment of groundwater to address petroleum-related VOCs, installation of a protective cover system and site controls in the form of an Environmental Easement. This project is funded by New York City and is part of the New York City Mayor’s Office initiative to build and/or maintain animal shelters in every borough. The building includes workspaces for staff, training, community education as well as modern animal housing, medical suites for exams, surgery, grooming, storage of supplies and food, and laundry rooms.   

Moyer Carriage Lofts, Syracuse - Site Number C738040 

The Moyer Carriage Lofts site is located in Syracuse, Onondaga County, within the Hiawatha-Lodi Brownfield Opportunity Area. Going back to the late 1800s, the site was used for industrial and commercial purposes. Participation in the BCP allowed site cleanup to be performed at the same time as site redevelopment. The cleanup included the removal of more than 5,000 cubic yards of solvent-contaminated soil as well as the use of in-place techniques to address residual solvent contamination in both soil and groundwater. The redevelopment required the use of a complicated support system to preserve the historical multi-story manufacturing building (Moyer Carriage Factory). When redevelopment is completed in 2024, the developer plans mixed-use residential and commercial buildings with more than 70 affordable housing units, along with ground floor commercial space.   

Mt. Olive Senior Manor, City of Buffalo – Site Number C915377

The Mt. Olive Senior Manor site is approximately 1.3 acres located in a highly developed urban area at 227 Sheridan Avenue in Buffalo, Erie County. A nearby property previously housed a rug/furniture cleaning business that utilized tetrachloroethene (PCE). The cleanup was performed by Mount Olive Senior Manor LLC, with oversight from DEC, and consisted of excavation and off-site disposal of approximately 6,800 cubic yards of soil impacted by metals and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), the treatment of bedrock groundwater impacted by chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) through injection of an amendment, and site controls in the form of an environmental easement. The site achieved a cleanup that will allow for residential use of the property. The redevelopment plan for the site is a three-story affordable housing development for seniors, which is currently under construction.   

Silo City Phase I Project, City of Buffalo – Site Number C915361 

The Silo City Phase I Project Site is approximately 6.2 acres along the Buffalo River in Buffalo, Erie County. The site is comprised of two non-contiguous parcels located within the Silo City Cultural and Ecological Campus. The property was formerly used for the storage, processing, and distribution of various grains. The site is comprised of three buildings, two of which have been redeveloped into apartments with commercial spaces, and the remaining building is a historic concrete grain silo. The cleanup was performed by Silo City Phase I LLC and consisted of excavation and off-site disposal of approximately 2,950-tons of soil impacted by metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in-place treatment to address groundwater impacted with petroleum and solvent-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs), installation of a protective cover system, and site controls in the form of an environmental easement. 

For more information about DEC’s Brownfield Cleanup Program, go to: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/site-cleanup/brownfield-and-state-superfund-programs/brownfield   

NOTE: Photos attached:  

Moyer Carriage Lofts_BCP

Mt. Oliver Senior Center_BCP

Queens Animal Hospital_BCP (photo credit: Cheever Development)

Atlantic Chestnut development_rendering