Briefings
What changed in environmental, land-use and permitting rules for development in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania: what happened, who is affected and the next date that matters.
- MediumNew York
New York court blocks commercial tax class for vacant residential lots outside Manhattan
Two appellate rulings require New York City to tax vacant residential lots in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island in class one, and let owners correct some past years.
- MediumNew York County, NY
New York high court upholds SoHo and NoHo conversion fee; Supreme Court conference October 9
The Court of Appeals held on January 13, 2026 that the $100-per-square-foot fee to convert artist live-work units to ordinary residential use is not a taking. A petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review that ruling is set for its October 9 conference.
- HighNew York
New York City adopts fast-track land-use review and housing appeals board rules, effective November 14
City Planning rules set eligibility, deadlines and fees for a shorter review of qualifying rezonings and the procedure for a board that can restore housing approvals the City Council rejects or changes.
- MediumErie County, NY
New York appeals court holds brownfield cleanup kept Buffalo scrap yard's grandfathered use alive
The Fourth Department upheld a zoning board finding that ongoing state brownfield remediation continued a nonconforming scrap yard use, so a new operator needed no use variance.
- HighNew York
New York City names 12 districts where qualifying affordable housing bypasses City Council review from 2027
Qualifying applications in the listed districts get a 90-day public review starting January 1, 2027, so land use timelines and contract contingencies tied to the standard process need review.
- MediumNew York
New York ties certificates of occupancy for older rentals in 25 communities to lead safety filing
From October 1, 2026, code officials in 25 upstate and suburban communities must find a lead safety certification on file before issuing inspection-based certificates for pre-1980 rental buildings with two or more units.
- MediumNew York
New York City reports 95% of properties filed under building emissions law; stricter limits start 2030
The Department of Buildings' first-year report on Local Law 97 shows 95% of large buildings' owners filed for 2024 and 95% of Article 320 filers met their limit. Owners that did not file or exceeded limits face notices and penalties; the 2030 limits are stricter.
- LowClinton County, NY
New York permits North Country wind farm rebuild, cutting turbines from 54 to 25
The State's renewable siting office approved a 91-megawatt repowering of the Ellenburg wind farm in Clinton and Franklin Counties, about six months after finding the application complete.
- MediumNew York
New York awards contracts for 950 megawatts of grid batteries, including two Bronx projects
The State's first bulk storage solicitation contracted eight battery projects that are paid only once operating and must be in service by the end of 2030, alongside 13 wind, solar and hydro projects.
- MediumNew York
New York City lets late 421-a rental projects switch options to reach 2031 deadline
A city rule lets Option C and G projects that missed the June 15, 2026 completion date change affordability options and remain eligible for the exemption, if they filed a timely letter of intent.
- HighNew York
New York opens comments on scope of statewide data center environmental review; deadline October 20
The study that must be finished before state permits for large data centers resume now has a draft outline, and its final shape may govern how later projects are reviewed.
- MediumNew York
New York approves 90-mile underground power line linking Long Island to Westchester; construction plans pending
The Public Service Commission adopted the settlement for the Propel NY Energy Project on September 17, 2026, but construction waits on approval of phased construction plans.
- MediumKings County, NY
New York proposes higher water quality classification for Newtown Creek; comments due in late November
The proposal moves the creek from Class SD to Class I; the State Register notice says comments close five days after the last hearing, so owners and applicants along the creek should confirm the deadline.
- MediumNew York
New York City outlines truck-pollution duties for warehouses of 50,000 square feet or more
The City's environmental agency described a proposed points system, based on truck trips, that large warehouse operators would have to meet, with environmental review due to start this fall and an estimated 2028 start.
- HighNew York
New York issues voluntary $1 million per megawatt data center benchmark; DEC permit pause continues
The September 15 framework leaves the pause on DEC permits for large data centers in place and gives towns a voluntary contribution benchmark to use in negotiations, so site contract deadlines need review.
- MediumNew York
New York wind and solar projects face separate state siting and grid connection clocks
State siting permits for large wind and solar projects run on statutory deadlines, while grid connection runs on the grid operator's separate study cycle, which those deadlines do not govern.
- MediumNew York
New York City makes its anti-harassment permit check permanent and widens the buildings it covers
A law enacted September 12 keeps the no-harassment certificate required before demolition and major alteration permits past its 2026 sunset, with a new building list due by April 15, 2027.
- MediumNew York
Federal: Rule narrowing state review of federal water permits reportedly cleared White House review
EPA's January 2026 proposal would limit state water quality certification to the discharge and cut the information states may require. A final rule reportedly cleared OMB review September 4, 2026; no publication was found. The 2023 rule remains in effect.
- LowDutchess County, NY
New York appeals court reinstates town denial of shared driveway for three new homes
The Second Department upheld the Town of Pleasant Valley's refusal of a sight-distance variance and open development area approval, reversing a trial court that had ordered the variance granted.
- MediumRockland County, NY
Orangetown, New York, halts new data center and battery storage approvals for 180 days
A Rockland County town has frozen permits for data centers and battery systems while it rewrites its zoning, but data center applications filed before July 1, 2026 may proceed.
- MediumNew York
New York's water permit for Raritan Bay gas pipeline survives federal appeal as New Jersey's falls
A federal appeals court upheld New York's conditional water quality certification for the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, weeks before another appeals court voided New Jersey's certification for the same project.
- MediumNew York
New York City requires a state wetland ruling before approving building plans on flagged lots
Since August 17, new building, enlargement, earthwork and foundation filings on lots flagged for wetlands or coastal erosion need a state jurisdictional determination, and any required state permit, before city approval.
- MediumNew York
Federal: New York grid operator has until November 16 to file data center connection rules
Federal energy regulators paused their challenge to New York's grid rules for loads of 50 megawatts or more, giving the grid operator and utilities 90 days to propose revisions on cost, co-location and flexible service.
- MediumNew York
New York regulators decline to cap solar and storage interconnection costs, require utility cost reporting
At its August 13, 2026 session the Public Service Commission declined to cap developers' interconnection upgrade costs and instead required utility cost and study-timeline reporting, with tariff amendments effective October 1, 2026 and annual filings from March 31, 2027, according to the Department and a copy of the order.
- MediumNew York
New York City begins fining owners whose sidewalk sheds stand without façade repair progress
A Buildings Department rule in force since August 13 sets $5,000 to $20,000 penalties for missed façade repair milestones and requires an engineer's or architect's progress report at each shed renewal.
- MediumNew York
New York finalizes tighter carbon cap on power plants, effective January 1, 2027
DEC and NYSERDA adopted amendments, effective January 1, 2027, that lower the CO2 allowance budget, add a second cost-containment tier, raise the minimum reserve price and end offsets. The changes bear on electricity generating units and on projects whose economics depend on them.
- MediumNew York
New York defers greenhouse gas reporting enforcement dates after May climate-law amendments
DEC will not enforce several 2026 and 2027 reporting dates in its mandatory emissions rule while it develops amendments to that rule. The state's climate act was amended on May 26, 2026; published summaries report that the deadline for implementing regulations moved to December 31, 2028.
- HighNew York
New York City issues preliminary guidance on exempting housing rezonings from environmental review
A qualifying housing rezoning in New York City can now enter public land use review without an environmental assessment, while reviews of rezonings that do not qualify are now subject to statutory deadlines.
- HighNew York
Federal: Solar and wind projects not started by July 4 lose credits unless running by 2027
The federal clean-electricity credits end for solar and wind placed in service after December 31, 2027 unless construction began by July 4, 2026. That start date has passed, so for Northeast projects the record of when physical work began now governs which rule applies.
- MediumNew York
New York proposes requiring active landfills to treat leachate before disposal, with phase-in to four years
DEC's proposed amendments to its solid waste rules would require treatment of leachate at 32 active landfills before it goes to wastewater plants or other discharge, with plans due one and two years after the effective date. Comments closed September 9, 2026. The proposal is not in force.
- HighNew York
New York's all-electric rule for new buildings survives federal appeal; start date unconfirmed
On June 30, 2026 the Second Circuit rejected a federal-preemption challenge to the State's ban on fossil-fuel equipment in new buildings. A court-approved stipulation suspends the State's rules until 120 days after the Second Circuit's mandate if no certiorari petition is timely sought; the mandate date and any petition were not confirmed.
- MediumNew York
New York opens proceeding toward 4 gigawatts of new nuclear power; conference due by October 31
The Public Service Commission opened Case 26-E-0335 on June 11, 2026. Staff and NYSERDA must hold a public technical conference before October 31, 2026 and Staff a white paper by November 11, 2026. No host site has been announced in the sources read.
- MediumNew York
New York legislature passes stricter PFAS drinking-water limits while federal rollback is proposed
Both houses passed a bill setting New York limits of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS and 10 for three other PFAS, with water systems to comply by May 1, 2029. As of October 7, 2026 the Senate page shows it awaiting the Governor. Federal proposals of May 20, 2026 would drop limits for those three PFAS.
- MediumNew York
New York towns adopt battery storage moratoria, including Waterford, Walton, Halfmoon and Huntington
Waterford's 180-day moratorium expires November 29, 2026, and Walton has adopted a one-year moratorium that also reaches pending applications. Halfmoon adopted an extension of its own on March 4, 2026, and Huntington has reportedly voted a six-month pause. Walton cites a study of fire safety and siting standards.
- MediumNew York
New York now sets deadlines for full environmental reviews and exempts some housing on developed sites
A local board that orders a full environmental review must now decide and finish within statutory time limits, and qualifying housing on previously disturbed sites is exempt from review.
- MediumNew York
New York issues five-year stream work permit; no work may start before state countersignature
DEC's new Stream Activities General Permit covers bank stabilization, culvert and bridge repair and utility line repairs from May 21, 2026 to May 20, 2031. It requires DEC countersignature for every authorization and sets a 500-foot limit on vegetation-based bank stabilization inside the New York City watershed.
- MediumSteuben County, NY
New York appeals court upholds state wind permit and narrow standard for opponents seeking party status
The Appellate Division, Third Department, on May 14, 2026 affirmed a siting permit for a 147-megawatt wind project in Steuben County, holding that general objections do not earn opponents party status before the state siting office.
- MediumNew YorkFree to read
New York court voids state wetland rules; agency narrows which unmapped wetlands need permits
With the 2025 regulations annulled and an appeal pending, New York's environmental agency is asserting jurisdiction only over previously mapped wetlands and those of 12.4 acres or more.
- MediumNew York
Federal: 2026 wetlands nationwide permits take effect; New York requires individual water certification for ten permits
The Army Corps' 2026 nationwide permits took effect March 15, 2026 and apply in all four states. New York's December 18, 2025 certification grants conditional blanket certification to most but requires individual certification for ten, including NWP 12. Eligible work under the 2021 permits has until March 14, 2027.
- LowNassau County, NY
New York appeals court orders Nassau zoning board to accommodate synagogue use of a house
The Second Department annulled a Town of Oyster Bay variance denial on February 18, 2026 and sent the case back with a direction to grant the application on reasonable conditions. Other Second Department variance rulings this spring left board decisions in place.
- MediumNew York
New York regulator opens large-load grid connection review; technical conference due by December 31, 2026
A February 12, 2026 order opened a Public Service Commission proceeding on how to connect data centers and other large loads, including who pays for upgrades. Comments have closed; a staff technical conference is due before December 31, 2026 and a white paper within a year.
- MediumNew York
New York's revised cleanup rules for brownfields and Superfund sites took effect December 31, 2025
DEC adopted rewritten cleanup rules with no change from its proposal. They revise more than half of the soil cleanup objectives, define site cover requirements and drop the historic fill definition. DEC's materials read describe no transition rule for projects already in the program.
- LowSuffolk County, NY
New York's Pine Barrens plan tightens review of large Suffolk projects and governs credit use
Applications in the Central Pine Barrens filed since July 19, 2024 face amended standards, including a lower 200-unit threshold for regional review and stricter rules on redeeming development credits.