BILL NUMBER: S6530
SPONSOR: BRISPORT
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the department of environmental conservation from issuing or
authorizing any permits to new or expanding large concentrated animal
feeding operations
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section one adds a new section 17-0709 to the environmental conservation
law. Section two adds a new section 17-0833 to the environmental conser-
vation law.
Section three amends paragraph a of subdivision 5 and adds a new subdi-
vision 10 to section 17-0701 of the environmental conservation law.
Section four amends subdivision 2 and adds a new subdivision 3 to
section 170703 of the environmental conservation law.
Section five establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations ("CAFOs") are large-scale factory
farms that confine hundreds of livestock animals to a densely packed
facility. In New York, CAFOs are defined as farms housing house 700 or
more dairy cows, 1,000 or more veal calves, or 2,500 or more pigs weigh-
ing at least 55 pounds. A September 2024 report by Food & Water Watch
found that New York State had a twenty-one percent increase in the
number of dairy cows living on factory farms housing over 500 animals
from 2017 to 2021. CAFOs have numerous detrimental impacts to the envi-
ronment, resulting in billions of pounds of manure each year, creating
runoff that pollutes local waterways and causes harmful algal blooms.
CAFOs also release significant amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas, and
harm the surrounding air quality through the release of ammonia and
nitrogen oxides. As factory farming continues to expand in the state,
more pollution finds its way in our air and waterways.
In addition to environmental harm, CAFOs pose an economic threat to
smaller-sized farms and the rural economies supported by them. These
large-scale factory farms are often run by large corporations that
squeeze out local competition to maximize profits. The Food & Water
Watch report showed that over the last five years, the increase in dairy
factory farms with over 500 animals in New York State correlates to the
closure of 43.5 percent of small-scale family dairy farms. The growing
number of CAFOs presents a unique threat to New York's small farms and
rural economies. New York State must take action to prevent the prolif-
eration of CAFOs that damage our communities and our environment. This
legislation would prohibit the Department of Environmental Conservation
from issuing any new permits to establish a new or expand an existing
farm to become a CAFO.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This bill shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.