NYS DEC Division of Mineral Resources – Albany, NY

NYS DEC Division of Mineral Resources

The Division of Mineral Resources is a specialized unit within the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), located at the DEC’s central headquarters at 625 Broadway in downtown Albany. This division is responsible for the regulation of oil, gas, and solution salt mining wells, as well as the reclamation of mined land across New York State. Its primary mission is to ensure that mineral extraction is conducted in an environmentally sound manner that protects the state’s groundwater, surface water, and land resources.

Regulatory Functions

The division oversees several critical programs that balance economic development with environmental protection:

• Oil and Gas Regulation: Issuing permits for the drilling and operation of oil, gas, and solution salt mining wells. The division maintains a comprehensive database of well information and production statistics.
• Mined Land Reclamation: administering the Mined Land Reclamation Law, which requires all mining operations (such as sand, gravel, and rock quarries) to have a DEC-approved plan for restoring the land to a productive use after mining is complete.
• Well Plugging: Overseeing the proper plugging and abandonment of non-productive wells to prevent environmental contamination.

Information and Permitting

Industry professionals and landowners visit or contact this office to file organizational reports, submit permit applications, and access records regarding mining and drilling activities. The division also provides public access to the DECinfo Locator, an interactive map that displays well and mine locations. While the Broadway office serves as the administrative hub, field staff in the DEC’s nine regional offices conduct inspections and enforcement.

Visiting the Office

The DEC headquarters is a secure state building. Visitors attending meetings or reviewing files must present photo identification at the security desk in the lobby. Appointments are strongly recommended for reviewing detailed mine files or meeting with technical staff, as many records are digitized or stored off-site.