Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) for Environmental Programs in New York State: What You Need to Know

Whether you are developing or implementing a remedial strategy with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), it is a requirement to consider green and sustainable approaches and the impacts on climate resiliency. Here is what you should know about Green and Sustainable Remediation, or GSR.

Is GSR only for new projects?

NYSDEC requires GSR procedures in every project that falls under its remedial programs, regardless of phase. The requirements allow a GSR evaluation at any time and for the recommendations to be incorporated moving forward.

What does New York State define as “green remediation?”

The full program policy, DER-31, was issued in 2010 and is defined as “the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation and incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprint of cleanup actions.”  DER breaks this down into five categories:

• Materials and waste
• Energy
• Air emissions
• Water consumption
• Land and ecosystems

NYSDEC has a detailed policy summary that should be reviewed while planning the next phase of an investigation or remediation.

What are the requirements of a GSR project?

In order to determine if a remediation is in compliance, requirements include:

• An environmental footprint analysis using an accepted standard such as SEFA or Sitewise
• Definition of specific goals
• Identification of metrics to be tracked and reported on during the project
• And a climate change vulnerability assessment.

What are some examples of GSR compliance?

GSR compliance takes a wide range of forms, depending on the scale and complexity of a project. Some common starting points include:

• Using bio-diesel or ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in heavy machinery.
• Powering equipment with renewable energy, such as solar panels.
• Developing reuse strategies for stormwater and pumped groundwater.
• Using rail transport for soil disposal.
• Replanting with native pollinator-friendly species.

Even small decisions during planning, such as limiting single-use bottled water in favor of water stations and reusable containers, can assist in reaching compliance goals. 

GZA can work with you to develop a measurable strategy to lower any projects' impact on our environment.