Environmental Permits
Administered Under the Uniform Procedures Act (UPA)
Essential to protecting New York's air, water, mineral and biological resources are a system of permits under the Uniform Procedures Act (UPA), Article 70 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL). The UPA is intended to ensure a fair, timely and thorough review; eliminate inconsistent procedures; and encourage public participation. DEC's regulation for implementing the UPA is 6 NYCRR Part 621. (Link leaves DEC's website)
Also under authority of the UPA, DEC may issue General Permits to allow similar types of work not unique to a particular location. Such work may be the result of natural disasters or extraordinary weather, or for other activities that have been determined not to have a significant impact on the environment.
Next Steps
Use the links below under the permit categories for specific program information and guidance.
Or, select from the following items to:
Environmental Permit Categories
Waterways, Coastlines & Wetlands
- Protection of Waters Permits
- Coastal Erosion Management Permits
- Freshwater Wetlands Permits
- Tidal Wetlands Permits
- Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Permits
Wastewater, Stormwater & Water Withdrawal
Air
Mineral Resources
Waste Management
Other Permits
- General Permits
- Endangered/Threatened Species-Incidental Take (Link leaves DEC's website)
- Floating objects in navigable waters within the Adirondack Park
- Liquefied Natural Gas Facility Permit
More about Environmental Permits:
- Getting an Environmental Permit - The framework for processing environmental protection permits is defined in Article 70 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law, the Uniform Procedures Act (UPA).
- Environmental Permits Forms and Requirements - Application forms for Uniform Procedures Act Permits
- Regional Environmental Permits Information - find the appropriate regional permit administrator to provide permit application assistance.
- Guide to Permit Hearings - A permit hearing offers the public an opportunity to participate in DEC project review. This document gives an overview of the DEC permit hearing process.
- Guide to Permit Hearings in Spanish - Una audiencia para obtener permiso ofrece al público una oportunidad de participar en el análisis del proyecto de DEC. Este documento ofrece una perspectiva general del proceso de audiencia de DEC para obtener un permiso.
