Bill S 672 updates the environmental conservation law regarding environmental restoration projects, primarily affecting municipalities and entities involved in remediating contaminated sites. It allows for project funding starting in fiscal year 2025-2026 and expands the definition of "contaminant" to include emerging contaminants and PFAS substances. The bill modifies how responsible party settlement payments are applied to project costs and adds new criteria for prioritizing projects, such as those in disadvantaged communities or addressing drinking water contamination. Additionally, it broadens state indemnification for municipalities, successors, lessees, and lenders involved in these remediation efforts.
Creates a legislative task force on outdoor environmental education and recreation that will benefit residents of New York state by fostering stewardship and conservation of the environment, and an appreciation of the importance of the wise use of natural resources as well as acknowledgment of the health benefits of time spent in nature.
Directs the state fire prevention and building code council to update the state fire prevention and building code and the state energy conservation construction code within 18 months of the publication of any updated or revised edition of the international and national codes relating thereto, so as to ensure that the state's codes reflect such revisions and updates.
Requires certain municipal planning boards and zoning boards of appeals to receive at least one hour of environmentally conscious planning training annually.
Provides an exemption from requirements for the alienation of parkland for renewable energy generating projects with a generating capacity not exceeding two megawatts and which are located above real property currently used for vehicle parking.
This bill allows local municipal agencies responsible for waste management to install and use surveillance cameras to identify people illegally dumping waste. It directly affects towns and cities with authority over sanitation, enabling them to review camera footage as evidence. The key provision authorizes these agencies to deploy cameras in areas prone to illegal dumping and use the footage to track down violators. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, focusing solely on expanding local enforcement tools for waste management.
Directs the department of agriculture and markets, in cooperation with the department of environmental conservation, to establish standards for designation of native plants, to develop a list of native plants that indicates and differentiates between native plants that are indigenous to New York state and those that are native plants found elsewhere in the United States that are likely to shift or expand their range into NY, to establish a New York native plant designation, and to offer seals or logos identifying native plants as grown in New York state; defines "native plants".
Establishes the agrivoltaics viability pilot program to provide grants to identify the best practices and strategies for agrivoltaics and dual-use solar energy projects that protect soil health during construction and decommissioning of solar arrays, utilize sustainable agricultural production practices, monitor any benefits solar energy may have on farms and to the state, track economic viability, study the commercialization of dual-use solar energy projects, and encourage equitable engagement of stakeholders.
This bill prohibits the use of specific chemicals - including lead, mercury, formaldehyde, certain parabens, phthalates, and PFAS - in menstrual products sold in New York. It bans intentionally added restricted substances immediately and sets a 2029 deadline for establishing safe trace levels (below which products may still contain these chemicals). The law applies to all menstrual products distributed, sold, or offered for sale in New York, covering retail, wholesale, and promotional use. The Department of Health will set the trace-level thresholds within a year of the bill's effective date, with five-year reviews to potentially lower them.
Relates to finding alternatives to the use of pesticides in the monarch preservation plan and allowing agricultural lands that are not in active production be used to enhance the monarch butterfly habitat.
