Citywide Remediation of 165-Acres Opened Doors to Multiple New Developments
The Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) recently announced the successful completion of the remediation of 165-acres citywide since the start of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. The former contaminated land has since been redeveloped into “various new uses including 28,000 units of housing (12,000 of which are affordable), 16 new schools, 2.9 million square feet of community space, and 6.1 million square feet of commercial space.” As part of New York City’s PlaNYC sustainability plan, the OER was established in 2008; and since its launch, has successfully completed the remediation of over 1,000 properties, creating over 585 acres of new developable land. Nearly 70% of the projects are located in environmental justice areas — a geographic area that has experienced disproportionate negative impacts from environmental pollution due to historical and existing social inequities without equal protection and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. OER’s main purpose is to design and operate municipal programs to promote the cleanup and redevelopment of vacant contaminated land. In addition, its Clean Soil Bank (CSB) program recovers clean, native soil from deep excavations at construction sites and redirects it to the City’s 830 Forbell Street stockpile located in East New York, Brooklyn; and has been described by NYC Brownfield Partnership’s president, Ezgi Karayel as “the only municipally operated program of its kind.”