Senator Gallivan Introduces Legislation to Expand NY's Brownfield Cleanup Program

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan, (R-C, Elma) is proposing legislation (S.6889) to expand the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program to include state-owned properties with structures affected by asbestos, lead, PCBs, and other contaminants to promote redevelopment of the sites. The program would help cover the cost of remediation, making the sites more attractive for redevelopment and economic opportunity. 

Senator Gallivan points to the largely unused West Seneca Development Center as an example.

“The DDSO campus has been mostly vacant for years and many of the buildings on the state-owned property are dilapidated and in need of costly remediation because of asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous material,” Senator Gallivan said. “Private investors shy away from properties like this because of the financial commitment required to remove or remediate old structures and make the property suitable for redevelopment. Expanding the Brownfield Cleanup Program to cover these sites would create an incentive for their re-use.”

The goal of the current Brownfield Cleanup Program is to promote the cleanup of privately owned brownfields where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of hazardous materials, especially in economically blighted communities. 

Senator Gallivan says as New York closes more of its mental facilities, prisons and other state-owned sites, it should do more to ensure the safety of the properties and to promote their reuse.

The proposed legislation has been sent to the Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee for review.

                                                                                                         -30-