New York City ECB Judgment Amnesty Program: Opportunity to Reduce Outstanding Penalties

The City of New York has launched a temporary Environmental Control Board (ECB) Judgment Amnesty Program that may allow property owners to significantly reduce the amount owed on eligible ECB judgments.

The program is available through January 10, 2027 and applies to two categories of violations:

1. Violations that require payment only; and
2. Violations that require both payment and corrective action (compliance judgments), provided an approved Certificate of Correction is obtained by January 10, 2027.

For eligible judgments, the program offers substantial financial relief, including the waiver of certain penalties and accrued interest:

TYPE OF JUDGEMENT	AMNESTY BENEFIT
Default judgment resulting from failure to appear at an ECB hearing	Pay only the base fine; default penalties and accrued interest are waived
Judgment issued after attending an ECB hearing	Accrued interest is waived, and only 75% of the base fine is payable

While the Amnesty Program may provide significant savings, eligibility requirements, limitations, and strategic considerations apply. Each violation should be reviewed individually to determine whether participation in the program is in your best interest and to ensure all necessary compliance requirements are satisfied before the program deadline.

If you would like assistance evaluating your eligibility or developing a strategy to take advantage of this opportunity, please contact Devin P Kosar at [email protected], who authored the above, or your trusted R&E attorney.

We would be pleased to assist you in maximizing the benefits available under this limited-time program.