Expands the Technical Assistance Grant Program to require a TAG in certain instances, include NYC Community Boards as eligible, and clarifies certain provisions around cost of the grant.
This legislation expands the brownfield Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Program to require a TAG be provided when a site is a significant threat to public health or the environment, or if it is located on or near a school or daycare facility. The bill also makes New York City Community Boards eligible recipients for TAGs. A TAG allows for clearer communication, increased public participation, and better transparency in communities impacted by site contamination.
Currently there are 701 active Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) sites.The goal of the BCP is to remediate certain real property sites that have contamination levels exceeding environmental standards. A private-sector developer cleans these sites up as part of redevelopment, and may be eligible for tax credits in exchange. This is done with the oversight of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). While the BCP includes specific public participation requirements, information provided to the public about a site’s cleanup plan or progress is often dense and technical. It can be challenging to understand what is happening at the site and how it may impact the community.
Current law (§27-1417 of the ECL) allows for up to $50,000 to be granted to community groups to hire a qualified environmental professional to review technical documents, prepare public comments, and interpret information about the site to share with the community. Expanding the program to include Community Boards and require a TAG in certain instances would positively impact communities throughout the state.
