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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
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Prohibits the purchase, sale, trade, or barter of fish caught in New York waters containing PCBs greater than one part per million
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Richard Brodsky
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to purchase, sale, trade, or barter of fish containing polychlorinated biphenyls taken from New York waters
Purpose or general idea
Sets the maximum PCB content of fish taken from the waters of New York State to be purchased, sold, traded or bartered or offered for purchase, sale, trade, or barter at 1 part per million.
Summary of specific provisions
The bill adds a new subdivision 5 to section 13-0347 of the environmental conservation law that sets the maximum PCB content of fish taken from the waters of the state, including marine and coastal districts, to be purchased, sold, traded or bartered or offered for purchase, sale, trade, or barter at 1 parts per million.
Justification
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has classified PCBs as probable human carcinogens. PCBs in the State's waterways are taken up into the bodies of aquatic organisms, especially fish, reaching levels that may be thousands of times higher than PCB levels in the water in which they reside. Additionally, EPA studies have suggested PCBs that bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, through environmental and metabolic alteration, become more toxic than commercial PCBs initially ingested by such organisms. Humans who consume PCB-laden fish risk a dangerously high exposure to the adverse health effects of this toxin.
Several bodies of water in the state, notably the Hudson River and Onondaga Lake, are heavily laden with PCBs and, as a result, these toxic chemicals have infested the fish population that resides within. This bill would ensure the public health and safety by setting at 0.1 ppm the limit at which fish contaminated with PCBs can be sold or offered for sale.
Prior legislative history
A.9589-A (2002), A.5970 (2003-04), A.1663 (2005-06). A1103 (2007-2008).
Fiscal implication for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
On the 120th day, provided however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment, repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.