Newtown Creek Alliance (NCA) is a member of the Last-Mile Coalition — a citywide coalition of environmental justice and public health advocates, seeking to regulate last-mile trucking facilities in New York City.
What Is A Last-Mile Facility and Why Are They Problematic?
The “last mile” in e-commerce refers to the final stage of the delivery fulfillment process, where the item is transferred from the retailer’s warehouse to the customer’s doorstep. There has been a rapid expansion of these facilities within specific NYC neighborhoods over the past decade, and the rise of e-commerce during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic has only intensified their unregulated growth.
Concentrations of last-mile warehouses have an outsized impact on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise pollution compared to a traditional warehouse due to a range of factors, including higher numbers of truck trips because of higher volumes of product flow, larger square footage needed to house inventory, and 24/7 operating times.
Because last-mile warehouses are not explicitly defined under New York City zoning law, the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) treats them as “warehouses” that can be constructed “as-of-right” in manufacturing districts and C8 commercial districts. This means that as long as the project meets the City’s zoning ordinance requirements, no additional public input process or environmental review is required for the developer to be issued a permit and begin construction.
What Are The Solutions?
As of June 2026, there are a number of legislative and planning processes to regulate and mitigate the environmental justice impacts associated with last mile facilities.
Further Resources: