Region 2 (NYC) Environmental Permits
Contact Information
Stephen Watts, Regional Permit Administrator
NYSDEC Region 2
47-40 21st Street
Long Island City, NY 11101-5401
Phone: 718-482-4997
Fax: 718-482-4975
Email: DEP.R2@dec.ny.gov
Region 2 covers all five boroughs of New York City, including the Bronx (Bronx Co.), Manhattan (New York Co.), Queens (Queens Co.), Brooklyn (Kings Co.), and Staten Island (Richmond Co.).
Natural Resources and Coastal Permits for Work in New York City
Projects that are in or will affect streams, waterways, waterbodies, freshwater or tidal wetlands, coastal areas, threatened or endangered species , and sources of the water supply are subject to regulation by the NYSDEC. This page includes guidance and documents needed for submitting permit applications for projects in Region 2: NYC.
Waterfront Activities Requiring a Permit
The activities listed below will help determine if your project needs a permit from NYSDEC. However, it is not a complete listing; it categorizes the most frequently sought permits. Contact the NYC Region 2 Permits office at 718-482-4997 or DEP.R2@dec.ny.gov with questions about permits or any activities not listed in this section.
Are You in Jurisdiction?
You can use the maps at the links below to help determine if you are close to rare species, freshwater wetland areas, tidal wetland areas, and coastal erosion hazard areas [CEHA]. If you are close to any of these areas or within them, you can request a jurisdictional determination and may need a permit. Please send a letter with borough, block, and lot information to R2 Permits, NYSDEC, 47-40 21st St, Long Island City, NY 11101.
- Rare plants and animals, including endangered or threatened species, on NYSDEC's Environmental Resource Mapper
- Freshwater wetland areas on NYSDEC's Environmental Resource Mapper
- Tidal wetland areas* at New York City Department of Buildings' website [leaving NYSDEC's website]
- Coastal Erosion Hazard Areas* [CEHA] at New York City Department of Buildings' website [leaving NYSDEC's website]
* Note: Tidal Wetland and CEHA Maps are NYSDEC official maps hosted on NYCDOB's website.
Examples of Waterfront Activities Requiring a Permit from NYSDEC
**Note: This is NOT a complete listing of activities or actions.
- Constructing, reconstructing or repairing projects in any wetland [freshwater and tidal], adjacent area, and/or coastal area including:
- Residential buildings
- Accessory structures to residential buildings (e.g., tennis court, swimming pool, garage, deck, fence)
- Commercial and industrial buildings
- Docks, floats, piers, wharves, catwalks, boardwalks, and mooring facilities
- Groins, jetties, and breakwaters
- Bulkheads, sea walls, retaining walls, rip-rap, and gabions
- Septic systems
- Roads, driveways, parking lots, bridges, and drainage structures
- Filling, dredge spoil placement, clearing, excavating, grading, and sub-dividing land
- Clearing or clear-cutting (i.e., removing vegetation by bulldozer or other heavy motorized equipment)
- Dune building or beach nourishment in a tidal wetland and/or its adjacent area and coastal erosion hazard areas [CEHA]
- Dredging, excavating or placing fill in navigable waters
- Any work in or around streams
- Constructing, reconstructing or repairing dams and other impoundment structure
Application Forms
Visit Application Forms for DEC Permits page and fill out a Joint Application Permit form. There are also instructions for filling out the Joint Application Permit on this page.
Application Fees
For information on the application fees, visit the Freshwater and Tidal Wetland: Application Fees FAQ
Contact the NYC Region 2 Permits office at 718-482-4997 or DEP.R2@dec.ny.gov with questions about permits in New York City, including any activities not listed above, jurisdictional questions, and general permit questions.
More about Region 2 (NYC) Environmental Permits:
- Designing a Dredging Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan - steps on how to desgin a sediment sampling and analysis plan for dredging projects in New York City
- Waterfront Activities Application Checklist - what to include in a waterfont activities permit application
- Checklist for BUD Submissions - what to include in a BUD submission on a coversheet and attachments
