BILL NUMBER: S9892
SPONSOR: BORRELLO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act establishing the study commission on preventing snow emergencies;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration
thereof
 
PURPOSE:
The bill establishes the study commission on preventing snow emergen-
cies.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. There is hereby established the Study Commission on Prevent-
ing Snow Emergencies. The purpose of the study commission is to evaluate
the impact of grid electrification on the safety and reliability of
heating systems in snowstorms that cause power outages, and to develop
strategies and best practices to maximize grid reliability and resilien-
cy during extreme winter weather events.
Section 2. The study commission shall consist of fifteen members as
follows:
a. The Chair of the Public Service Commission, or his or her designee;
b. One member to be appointed by the Governor;
c. One member to be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
d. One member to be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader;
e. One member to be appointed by the Temporary President of the Senate;
f. One member to be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
g. The Chair of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee
h. The Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Energy Committee
i. The Chair of the Assembly Energy Committee
j. The Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Energy Committee
k. One member to be appointed by the three largest utility companies
servicing Western New York;
1. The Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency
Services, or his or her designee;
m. One member to be appointed by the largest trade association repres-
enting electrical workers in Western New York.
Section 3. The commissioner of the Chair of the Public Service Commis-
sion, or his or her designee, shall be designated as the chairperson of
the Study Commission on Preventing Snow Emergencies. The members of the
study commission shall serve without compensation, except that members
shall be allowed their necessary and actual expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties under this act.
Section 4. The study commission shall be authorized to hold public hear-
ings, and to consult with any organization, educational institution, or
other government entity or person, to enable it to accomplish its
duties.
Section 5. To effectuate the purposes of this act, the study commission
may request and shall receive from any department, division, board,
bureau, commission, or other agency of the state or any state public
authority such assistance, information, and data as will enable the
study commission to properly carry out its powers and duties hereunder.
Section 6. The study commission shall issue a report of its findings and
legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Speaker of the Assem-
bly, the Assembly Minority Leader, the Temporary President of the
Senate, and the Senate Minority Leader.
Section 7. The public service commission shall use the Study Commission
on Preventing Snow Emergencies' report's findings and recommendations
to determine whether, how, and on what timetable to modify the targets
within subdivision 2 of section 66-p of this article. The public
service commission shall consult with the department of environmental
conservation about whether, how, and on what timetable
to modify the targets within subdivision 1 of section 75-107 of article
75 of the environmental conservation law pursuant to subdivision five of
Section 75-107 of the environmental conservation law, based upon the
Study Commission on Preventing Snow Emergencies' report's findings and
recommendations pursuant to this act.
Section 8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and
be deemed repealed two years after such date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In December of 2022, Western New York experienced a devastating blizzard
that knocked out electricity and left residents in their homes without
heat. The tragedy resulted in the loss of life of forty-seven New York-
ers. As we work to modernize our grid, ensuring the safety of New York-
ers is paramount so that we may prevent such devastation in the future.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 28 deemed
repealed two years after it shall have become a law.