NYC agency · Contaminated sites
Office of Environmental Remediation (OER)
Runs voluntary cleanup and (E)-designation programs for building sites with potential soil or groundwater contamination.
What OER does
The Office of Environmental Remediation oversees the cleanup of contaminated or potentially contaminated land in the city. If your lot carries an (E)-designation (an environmental requirement recorded in zoning) or you’re redeveloping a possible brownfield, OER’s Voluntary Cleanup Program sets the testing and remediation you must complete — often before DOB will sign off on new building permits.
What owners deal with
- (E)-designation testing and remediation requirements tied to the tax lot.
- Voluntary Cleanup Program enrollment and OER approvals for development sites.
- Coordination with DEP (asbestos, hazardous materials) and DOB permitting.
How to look it up
Check for an (E)-designation on your lot via City Planning’s zoning tools and OER’s SPEED environmental map before planning ground-disturbing work.
Reviewed against current NYC agency guidance by the NYC Building Compliance editorial team. Found something out of date? Tell us. Informational only — not legal or engineering advice.
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