DEP testimony describes 2025 complaint volume and 230,000-video backlog
The DEP statement says two staff including a supervisor review each submission and that DEP issued about 102,000 idling summonses in 2025. It says DEP now receives about 700 idling reports daily and has a backlog of roughly 230,000 videos.
New York City's civilian complaint program allows anyone to record and submit evidence of certain idling, dust, and sound reproduction device violations, and then receive a share of the penalties collected if the evidence results in a violation.
These programs have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly the program for idling enforcement.
I got a little frog in my throat here.
Had a sticky bun.
Maybe that's it.
And it has a chart here.
Talks about complaints submitted, you know, and it's a lot of numbers.
And then...
Numbers issued, whatever.
I'm not going to do the charts.
To participate in the idling program, anyone can log into the air complaint system on the DEP website and submit a video of the idling with a description of the incident.
Two DEP staff, including a supervisor, review each submission to determine whether there is evidence of a violation and issue summonses when sufficient evidence is observed.
Either DEP or the citizen can pursue the complaint.
If DEP pursues, we issue summonses after the review when sufficient evidence is observed.
If the citizen pursues, they issue the summons themselves.
The summons leads to a hearing before oath.
person who submitted the complaint is informed of the hearing date and can follow the progress of their submission through the air complaint system.
Anybody got a cough drop?
Anybody?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, Ricola.
Now we're talking.
Appreciate that.
Where are we?
In 2025, DEP reviewed more than 163,000 submissions from the public and issued about 102,000 summonses for idling, almost 300 summonses issued per day.
As the council is aware, this has been an exponential increase over just a few years.
And then there's a little question mark between the two paragraphs.
I don't know what that means.
Currently, DEP receives about 700 idling reports per day.
Each is reviewed by a DEP inspector and supervisor.
We have a current backlog of about 230,000 videos that DEP must review.
DP received 21 new lines, you know, personnel lines, approved as part of the FY27 November plan.
These new positions include air pollution inspectors, clerical associates, principal administrative associates, and one certified IT developer.
Seven inspectors recently started.
We are working with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the Office of Management and Budget to bring the rest on as soon as possible.
Citizen complaints are adjudicated at oath, which also support the processing of payments.
The council should consider the operational impacts in adjudicating and processing citizen complaints of these cases when making changes to the law.