BILL NUMBER: S1126
SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act directing the department of environmental conservation to conduct
a study on ecological restoration needs of Jamaica Bay
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to have the Department of Environmental
Conservation conduct a full study of Jamaica Bay to determine ecological
restoration needs in Jamaica Bay, while also providing a 5-year morato-
rium on filling of the borrow pits.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section la of the bill outlines the study that the Department of Envi-
ronmental Conservation will conduct to determine ecological restoration
needs in Jamaica Bay.
Section 2b of the bill states that the Department of Environmental
Conservation shall report their finding to the governor, the temporary
president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than
March 30, 2030.
Section 1c of the bill states that there shall be a moratorium of any
placement of any type of sediment or fill into the borrow pits in Jamai-
ca Bay for a period of five years commencing on the effective date of
this act, or until the study is completed and published, whichever is
later
Section 2 of the bill sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Department of Environmental. Conservation has not conducted a thor-
ough study of Jamaica Bay in at least 20 years. This bill would require
an updated study of Jamaica Bay to provide a description of the bathyme-
try of target areas of Jamaica Bay and a map of the borrow pits; the
ecological service quality of the borrow pits over multiple weather
seasons at multiple depths, including in-depth analysis of the popu-
lations of fin fish species that utilize such areas during different
seasons; the geotechnical conditions of all pit bottoms; the signif-
icance of the borrow pits regarding the absorption of heat during summer
months when adjacent shallow areas experience ulva sulfide conditions;
and any other policy recommendations regarding the ecological restora-
tion of Jamaica Bay.
There shall be a moratorium of any placement of any type of sediment or
fill into the borrow pits in Jamaica Bay for a period of five years
commencing on the effective date of this act, or until the study is
completed and published, whichever is later.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S8547 - Vetoed Memo.42
2023: S.6596 - Vetoed Memo.43
2022: S.8816-A (Addabbo) - Vetoed Memo.99
2021: S.2205 (Addabbo) - Vetoed Memo.67
2020: S.7295 (Addabbo) - Vetoed Memo.68
 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect immediately.