The NYC Brownfield Partnership serves as a primary resource for information on brownfields and brownfields redevelopment in New York City and beyond. The New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) has been instrumental in offering a robust environmental cleanup program by incentivizing private sector remediation and redevelopment efforts.

However, a challenge has arisen with Proposed Bill S5868. This bill links certain tax credits, site acceptance, and ongoing participation in the BCP to prevailing wage compliance – a link that may have a severe detrimental effect on the functioning of the BCP.  We acknowledge the intention behind prevailing wage but question the effectiveness of its inclusion in this bill and believe that reconsideration of this requirement is warranted to ensure alignment with the BCP’s initial legislative goals.

To better understand our concerns and proposed alternatives, the Partnership offers a detailed commentary on the bill, which is available here.

Please review the commentary to grasp the potential implications and challenges posed by this bill to the BCP and its stakeholders. The Partnership remains committed to excellence in responsible brownfield redevelopment and fostering collaboration among developers, government agencies, and community groups.

Posted June 2, 2023