Queens Chronicle: Avella decries DEC plan

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) is calling on the state Department of Environmental Conservation to deny the Queens Development Group’s application for Brownfield Cleanup Program tax credits on its Willets Point Phase One property.

About a year ago, the QDG entered a contract with the city Economic Development Corp., which requires the QDG to clean up the property. As part of the plan, the developer received a capital grant commitment of taxpayer funds for $99 million, of which $40 million is intended to pay the cleanup costs.

But soon after, the QDG applied to the Brownfield Program, to try to obtain additional tax credits to clean up the property.

After learning of the application, Avella, with advocacy group Willets Point United, contacted the DEC to intervene. In a recent response, the DEC stated that the agency believes that, “The public interest is served by allowing these properties to participate in the BCP.”

“Now, the QDG is attempting to take advantage of the tax credit program ...,” Avella said. “It’s absolutely disgraceful.’

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