Provides a green infrastructure tax abatement for the construction of green infrastructure projects on certain properties in a city of one million or more.
This bill (A 2627) creates a state program to help municipalities improve water quality in lakes managed by local lake associations. The program requires the environmental department to work with municipalities and lake associations to identify water quality issues, determine solutions, and establish best practices, plus provide grants for remedial actions. It directly affects municipalities and lake associations managing water bodies within their communities, with funding dependent on annual appropriations. The bill establishes a new grant program but does not change existing water quality laws.
Declares the waters of the state to be public trust resources; declares that the waters of the state are valuable public natural resources and the state has a duty to conserve and manage its waters effectively.
Provides that when approving proposals to enhance the existing benefits provided by a wetland or to create and maintain new wetland benefits in order to increase the likelihood that a proposed activity will meet the applicable standard for permit issuance, the mitigation may occur within the same watershed as the proposed project.
This bill creates tax credits for New York homeowners and businesses that install qualifying green infrastructure on their property. Homeowners can claim up to 50% of costs (capped at $10,000) for features like rain gardens, permeable pavement, or green roofs, while businesses get up to 50% (capped at $5,000). Eligibility requires New York residency for 24 months (homeowners) or 36 months (businesses) with property located in the state. The credit applies to specific, cost-effective stormwater management systems designed to reduce runoff and provide community benefits, such as rainwater harvesting or downspout disconnection.
Relates to permits and financial security for reclamation for salt mining beneath a lake; requires such permits to be subject to environmental quality review procedures; requires financial security to cover any damages directly or indirectly resulting from salt mining activities beneath a lake, including, but not limited to, those resulting from collapse or water contamination.
Requires no less than two percent of all state competitive grants for water quality infrastructure projects to be awarded to municipalities located in the Adirondack park and Catskill park.
Bill A 4221 prohibits all point source discharges (such as pipes, outlets, or disposal systems) into the Long Island Sound and Great South Bay. It directly affects businesses, industries, or facilities currently releasing waste or pollutants into these water bodies. The law bans both new construction and existing operations of such discharge systems, requiring compliance within one year of enactment. Implementation rules must be finalized before the effective date to enforce the prohibition.
Relates to permits granted in coastal erosion hazard areas; provides that as a condition of any permit issued in a coastal erosion hazard area, the department of environmental conservation shall require green infrastructure to help reduce stormwater runoff and mitigate coastal erosion.
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.
