Contact: Ross Sandler, Professor of Law and Director, Center for New York City             Law, 212.431.2869, rsandler@nyls.edu, www.citylaw.org
            Jim Hellegaard, New York Law School Public Affairs, 212.431.2191,             jhellegaard@nyls.edu

New York, NY, August 4, 2003-The Center for New York City Law at New York Law School announced today that it has added New York City Environmental Control Board's (ECB) decisions to its Web site, www.citylaw.org. The addition brings the number of city agencies making their decisions available on the Web site to nine.

"The Center for New York City Law's online library of New York City decisions is the first and only searchable, comprehensive online database that allows visitors to search and read agency decisions free of charge," said Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law.

The Environmental Control Board (ECB) is an administrative tribunal that provides hearings for various "quality of life" infractions of the City's laws and rules. The ECB, created in 1971 and operating within the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), holds hearings on notices of violation (NOVs) issued by many city agencies, including the Departments of Sanitation, Environmental Protection, Health, Consumer Affairs, Buildings, Fire, Police, Transportation, Information Technology & Telecommunications, Landmarks Preservation, Parks and the Business Integrity Commission.

Currently, ECB conducts hearings on Notices of Violation, enforcing such laws as illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, dirty sidewalks, unlicensed street vendors, building and fire codes, asbestos abatement, use of city parks, street and sidewalk openings and posting of handbills.

The ECB joins the following eight agencies that make their administrative decisions available on the Center for New York City Law Web site including:

• Department of Consumer Affairs (decisions dating back to January 1, 2003)

• Tax Appeals Tribunal (decisions dating back to 1995)

• Board of Standards and Appeals (decisions dating back to January 2003)

• Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (opinions dating back to 1978)

• Office of Collective Bargaining (decisions dating back to 1968)Conflicts of Interest Board (advisory opinions and enforcement actions dating back to 1989)

• Commission on Human Rights (decisions dating back to 1995)

• Loft Board (decisions dating back to 1996)

ABOUT CENTER FOR NEW YORK CITY LAW:

Founded in 1993, the Center for New York City Law publishes CityLaw, a bi-monthly journal reporting New York City legal and administrative decisions, and CityRegs, a bi-weekly newsletter on new and proposed city regulations. The Center's Web site, www.citylaw.org, makes available city administrative decisions from nine agencies: Tax Appeals Tribunal, Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, Office of Collective Bargaining, Conflicts of Interest Board, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Standards and Appeals, Environmental Control Board, and the Loft Board. The Center's Director, Professor Ross Sandler, is former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. New York Law School, old.nyls.edu, is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. Located near the centers of law, government, and finance in Manhattan's TriBeCa district, New York Law School enrolls 1,400 students in its day and evening divisions.

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