Division of Environmental Enforcement
The Division of Environmental Enforcement (DEE) enforces state and federal laws pertaining to the environment and DEC regulations, including both administrative and criminal actions. DEE works closely with the Division of Law Enforcement in regard to criminal activity. Units of DEE also oversee enforcement relating to the cleanup of inactive hazardous waste sites, including cost recovery, and provide environmental sampling, data collection and analysis. DEE has three Field Units located in Tarrytown (Eastern), Albany (Central) and Buffalo (Western).
The DEE enforcement program is implemented through compliance and enforcement standards created by programs and compliance Counsels, as well as enforcement guidance memos and documents issued by the Commissioner, General Counsel, and Director of Environmental Enforcement. Regional programs and regional Legal Affairs offices use these materials to govern enforcement.
The Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Bureau provides representation to various programs in enforcing the programs' directives, statutes, regulations and initiatives. The Bureau conducts enforcement through compliance assurance, settlement negotiations (generally resulting in administrative orders on Consent), administrative litigation, and by referring matters to the State Attorney General's Office for Civil Litigation. The programs that the Bureau provides legal assistance to include the Divisions of Water, Air, Solid and Hazardous Wastes, Pesticides, Wetlands, Mining and the Watershed Unit. The Bureau also provides enforcement support to the Regions, both in addressing legal questions and accepting the primary legal role for Regional cases. The Bureau's enforcement cases are tracked by VISTA (Visual System for Tracking and Analysis).
The State Superfund and Voluntary Cleanup bureau provides legal counsel and services to the Department in the development and implementation of remedial programs to eliminate the significant threat to public health and the environment posed by the release of hazardous waste and petroleum to the environment. By the development and refinement of comprehensive programs under Federal and State laws, the Bureau provides the Department with procedures for facilitating the cleanup of hazardous waste and petroleum sites by those responsible for the cleanup, minimizing costs to the State, revitalizing contaminated properties for reuse, and minimizing development pressures to our environment.
The Technical Services Bureau provides technical support to the Division of Law Enforcement and other law Enforcement agencies in their investigation of environmental crimes. The Bureau provides sample and analysis planning, forensic sampling, laboratory coordination, data quality review, data interpretation, and testimony. The Bureau also conducts research for and provides technical input and guidance to DEE's attorneys on a variety of issues including industrial processes, waste streams, and environmental fate and transport of Contaminants.
The Criminal Enforcement Unit provides attorney-client services to the Office of Public Protection which includes the Divisions of Law Enforcement and Forest Protection and fire Management. Those services include: development and review of legislation and regulations, advice and interpretation of state and federal criminal law provisions, drafting of warrants and criminal procedure forms, evaluation and referral of criminal cases to state And federal prosecutors, and trial of criminal cases under Designation from a District Attorney or the Attorney General.
For questions regarding the Division of Environmental Enforcement, please contact:
Office of the Director
Division of Environmental Enforcement
625 Broadway, 14th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-5500
518-402-9509 (phone); 518-402-9019 (fax)
More about Division of Environmental Enforcement:
- Regional Enforcement Coordination - Regional Enforcement Coordination's principle charge is to act as a liaison between the Office of General Counsel and the various Department programs, as well as external parties, to ensure the enforcement process, and any subsequent requisite corrective and/or remedial action, is handled and completed in a timely and appropriate manner.
