Northeast Queens Legislators Want City to Notify Community Boards About Brownfield Cleanups

Three state legislators representing northeast Queens have introduced legislation that would require the city to notify community boards of brownfield cleanups in their vicinity.   

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside and state Assemblymen Edward Braunstein, D-Bayside, and Michael Simanowitz, D-Flushing, are calling on the city’s Department of Environmental Conservation to keep all of the city’s community boards in the loop when a new brownfield site cleanup will take place.  

“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.   

The state legislators initiated the bill after Community Board 7 was not notified by the city about the Waterpointe-Whitestone brownfield cleanup site.   

Currently, the DEC requires a period of public comment for a brownfield cleanup request. As part of that process, adjacent property owners, local newspapers and nearby schools must be notified.   

“Community boards are our first line of defense in protecting the quality of life in New York City,” Braunstein said. “Providing board members with information about brownfield sites in their neighborhoods will ensure that the community has eyes and ears on the ground to make sure any remediation is done appropriately.”   

The bill recently passed the state Senate’s environmental conservation committee.