Enforcement Requires Reworld to Fund $500,000 Environmental Benefit Project
DEC Seeking Ideas and Input for Projects through March 28
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced $878,500 in enforcement penalties and environmental benefit funds against Reworld Hempstead, formerly the Covanta Hempstead Resource Recovery Facility, in Nassau County for violations of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law and the facility’s DEC permit for the handling of municipal waste combustor ash prior to disposal. The Order on Consent requires Reworld Hempstead to pay a $378,500 penalty to resolve violations and an additional $500,000 to fund an Environmental Benefit Project (EBP) selected with community input.
“Enforcing New York's stringent environmental laws and regulations, holding violators accountable, and protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers are top priorities for DEC,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “I commend DEC’s legal and regulatory experts for addressing Reworld Hempstead’s past violations and working to ensure this facility is operating in full compliance with New York’s environmental laws. DEC values public input and looks forward to working with the community to select projects that will be implemented by Reworld.”
In January 2025, DEC released its review of historical ash management practices at the Covanta Hempstead Resource Recovery Facility, including violations discovered during the agency’s review. Directed by Governor Kathy Hochul in response to community concerns, DEC conducted a thorough review of documents from 2006 to 2014, including Covanta Hempstead's engineering calculations, instructions to crane operators, residue/ash truck tracking log sheets, ash management plans, ash testing results, and e-mails.
DEC’s ‘Investigative Review and Findings: Ash Management at Covanta Hempstead Resource Recovery Facility’ (PDF) outlines multiple environmental violations, particularly during the span of 2007 to 2013, for the loading of trucks with more fly ash than identified in the facility’s DEC-approved Ash Residue Management Plan (ARMP).
In accordance with the ARMP and New York State’s solid waste management requirements, then-Covanta Hempstead implemented comprehensive changes to its operations under DEC oversight in 2014, including overhauling ash handling and disposal, preventing odor and other offsite impacts, and ensuring the facility meets stringent air quality and solid waste standards. The facility is currently in compliance.
The Order on Consent settles all identified violations at this facility dating back to 2006 and requires Reworld Hempstead to implement a $500,000 EBP. An EBP “must improve, restore, protect, or reduce risks to public health or the environment beyond that achieved by a respondent's full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.” Selection and funding of EBPs is governed by DEC’s Environmental Benefit Projects Policy CP-37.
DEC is soliciting ideas from the community to identify a project or projects to be funded by the EBP. Proposed projects may include air quality monitoring/improvements, environmental restoration or habitat improvements, pollution prevention/reduction, among other needs the community may identify. The public is invited to submit ideas through a survey through March 28, 2025, or by emailing/submitting comments by email to [email protected] with the subject line “Reworld EBP.” DEC will compile and review ideas submitted to help determine the selected project or projects. Once selected, Reworld is required to submit a plan for the EBP within 180 days of the consent order being signed.
