BILL NUMBER: S8170
SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
requiring the department of environmental conservation, after consulta-
tion with the environmental facilities corporation and department of
state, to submit an annual agency stormwater expenditure report
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To take an accounting of the state's spending on stormwater and flooding
reduction projects, and develop recommendations for targeting future
spending.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 creates a title heading for existing sections 16-0101 through
160119 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
Section 2 creates a new title of Article 16 of the Environmental Conser-
vation Law to require the Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC), after consulting with the Environmental Facilities Corporation
(EFC), and the Department of State (DOS), and other relevant agencies,
to report on state spending on stormwater infrastructure projects, and
to make recommendations for future spending on such projects based on
analysis of a variety of factors, and establishment of new state objec-
tives.
Section 3 sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Flooding has always posed a challenge to New York State. However, the
dangers of flooding have increased rapidly as a result of climate
change, and will continue to do so. The state has already invested in
flooding mitigation infrastructure through a variety of programs,
including grants available through the EFC. The implementation of the
Environmental Bond Act will further increase the availability of funding
for such projects.
Despite these existing efforts, a centralized accounting of state spend-
ing on stormwater infrastructure projects is not available. For
instance, a variety of water infrastructure grants through the EFC are
often lumped together without clarity about project type. In addition,
there is no strategic plan on how to maximize state dollars when it
comes to flooding mitigation spending.
This bill will provide more insight into current and planned flooding
infrastructure spending, and help the state understand and prioritize
the most critical project types for future investment.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
February 1 in the year following the date on which the act becomes law.