Office of General Counsel
General Counsel (518) 402-2794
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services and support to the Department of Environmental Conservation. In addition to a Central Office in Albany, the Office of General Counsel includes the Office of Environmental Justice, Regional Enforcement Coordination, nine regional offices and three field units. Services provided by OGC include developing and reviewing legislation and regulations, providing interpretations and advice, and serving as liaison with the Department of Law in the defense of lawsuits and claims against the department. Attorneys who specialize in DEC's various program areas act as dedicated counsel to the division, program or initiative to which they are assigned. OGC attorneys participate in some major permitting cases, advise on state ethics requirements and assist staff with state contract procedures. In addition, court litigation involving the Department is tracked through the Litigation Information Tracking System. The Office of General Counsel also enforces state and federal laws pertaining to the environment and DEC regulations, including both administrative and criminal actions. OGC staff works closely with the Division of Law Enforcement in criminal cases. Staff also oversee enforcement relating to the cleanup of inactive hazardous waste sites, including cost recovery, and provide environmental sampling, data collection and analysis. The office of General Counsel has three Field Units located in Tarrytown (Eastern), Albany (Central) and Buffalo (Western). Enforcement efforts are implemented with regard to compliance and enforcement standards created by programs and compliance counsels, as well as Enforcement Guidance memos and documents issued by the Commissioner and General Counsel. Regional programs and regional Legal Affairs offices use these materials to govern enforcement.
The nine Regional Attorney offices handle program counsel, enforcement work, and many permit hearings. All enforcement cases are tracked through VISTA (Visual System for Tracking & Analysis).
Regional Enforcement Coordination (REC) provides support to the Department's compliance and enforcement efforts by offering program assistance in compliance inspection reviews, providing regulatory and technical knowledge to Counsel's Office, and generally aiding Office of General Counsel staff with case development support. In addition to their efforts within OGC, the nine Regional Enforcement Coordinators also work with Environmental Quality, Natural Resource, and Law Enforcement staff to ensure the enforcement process, and any subsequent requisite corrective and/or remedial action, is handled and completed in a timely and appropriate manner.
