Drilling and Excavation

NYC Title 15, Chapter 57: Rules Concerning Drilling and Excavation protects water tunnels and shafts in the five boroughs of New York City from potential damage due to drilling or excavation.

These rules define a corridor within the City of New York and require pre-application and permit applications to be submitted for assessment and review for any proposed drilling or excavation within the corridor. No person may drill or excavate in a corridor within the City of New York, to a depth greater than fifty (50) feet below ground surface in the borough of the Bronx or on or north of 135^th Street in the borough of Manhattan; or greater than 100 feet in the borough of Brooklyn, Queens or Staten Island or south of 135^th Street in the borough of Manhattan or to any depth within 200 feet horizontal distance of a water tunnel shaft, without obtaining a permit. There are areas around the critical infrastructure where no drilling shall occur called “no drill” zones.

To schedule a preliminary meeting, please submit a pre-application (or inquiry) to: drillingdata@dep.nyc.gov.

The pre-application must include the following information:

• (i) the name, address, and telephone number of the owner and project engineer, architect or contractor;
• (ii) the proposed location and depth of the drilling and/or excavation, as applicable, by way of address, block and lot, and a survey of the proposed location in reference to the applicable block and lot.