EWMA Assists Redevelopment Of Brownfield Sites Through NYC OER’S VCP
The New York City Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) was established in 2011 by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) as a means to help facilitate light and moderately contaminated brownfield sites through the remediation program. Sites that are eligible for the VCP are those which are abandoned and/or vacant and whose redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of environmental impacts.
While the VCP has more robust public participation requirements than NYC’s E designation, developers of properties assigned an E designation for hazardous materials may consider enrolling in the VCP to satisfy their E designation obligations. Enrollment in the VCP enables the applicant to be exempt from any hazardous waste program fees associated with the disposal of excavated soils that are required to be managed as hazardous waste. These fees can be costly. In some cases, the fees can rival the disposal costs, putting a strain on a developer and potentially impacting the progress of a project.
Properties remediated through NYC’s VCP receive a Notice of Completion, which includes a New York City liability release, a letter from New York State Department of Environmental Protection (NYSDEC) which states the NYSDEC has no further interest and does not plan to take enforcement or require remedial action at the property. Applicants also receive a NYC Green Property Certification Plaque that symbolizes the city’s confidence that the property is protective of public health and the environment. The NYC Green Property Certification Plaque can be prominently displayed at a property and affixed to a building. According to OER, the NYC Green Property Certification Plaque “symbolizes the City’s confidence that the property and its buildings are among the safest places in New York City to live and work.”
EWMA can assist in all aspects of compliance with NYC’s VCP, from the initial environmental site assessment / investigation through to remediation and final completion of a cleanup. As OER Gold Certificate holders, our team can assist clients with obtaining incentive grants that can help bridge the funding gap which may be caused by the requirement to complete remediation activities, such as the Brownfield Jumpstart and/or NYC Brownfield Incentive Grant (BIG) Program.
Please contact Mindy Chaturgan (973) 560-1400 x179 for further information regarding how we can assist you through the NYC OER VCP to redevelop brownfield sites.