Court of Appeals Affirms Order for Supplemental Environmental Review for Public Schools Built on Contaminated Site

Community Group sued the School Construction Authority seeking a long-term maintenance and monitoring protocol for the Mott Haven School site. The Mott Haven school campus site, consisting of four public schools, was formerly a railroad yard in the South Bronx. The site contained soil and ground water that were significantly contaminated, and the site needed to be remediated before the campus could be built. The campus opened in 2010.

The New York State Department of … <Read More>


Supplemental environmental review of Atlantic Yards ordered

Court found ESDC’s environmental analysis insufficient due to change in Atlantic Yards project, but refused to halt project. In 2006, the Empire State Development Corporation approved the general project plan for Forest City Ratner Companies’ Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn. The $4 billion project includes a sports arena and sixteen high-rise buildings. Ratner agreed to purchase air rights from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority at the beginning of the project in order to facilitate the … <Read More>


Cas Holloway Discusses Department of Environmental Protection Initiatives

Cas Holloway, as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, is responsible for protecting the City’s environment. This includes ensuring that clean drinking water from upstate aqueducts reach the City’s 950,000 buildings and that the City’s 14,000 miles of water and sewer mains remain in good working order. The agency also plays a major role in implementing PlaNYC by promoting the use of modern, “green” infrastructure.

Holloway joined the Department of Parks and Recreation under … <Read More>


Environmental review challenge dismissed

State Supreme Court ruling allows City to continue the construction of ballfields on Randall’s Island. In July 2006, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation concluded its environmental review and found that constructing 34 new ballfields and reconstructing 31 existing ballfields on Randall’s Island would not significantly impact the environment.

The next month, Parks sent a letter to Manhattan Community Board 11 stating that it would present a funding plan for the ballfield … <Read More>


Fordham’s environmental study gets first review

Public comments on plan to expand Lincoln Square campus in order to provide over 2.5 million sq.ft. of new floor area. On September 10, 2007, City Planning held a public hearing on the draft scope of the environmental impact statement for the proposed expansion of Fordham University’s Lincoln Square campus.

Fordham plans to build facilities for its law, business, social services and education schools, dormitories, a theater, and parking facilities on the block bounded by … <Read More>


Domino Sugar environmental study gets first review

Community and preservationists comment on plan to construct 2.6 million sq.ft. of housing on former factory site. On July 31, 2007, City Planning held a public hearing on the draft scope of an environmental impact statement for the proposed transformation of the Domino Sugar Refinery into a large mixed-use development with 2.64 million sq.ft. of residential space, 120,000 sq.ft. of retail space, 100,000 sq.ft. of community facility space, and 1,450 below grade accessory parking spaces. … <Read More>