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Who cares
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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relating to selectively cutting timber
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor David Koon
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 selectively cutting timber
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would enhance the ability of farmers and other landowners to selectively harvest timber within a regulated wetland without disturbing the environmental integrity of the wetland.
Summary of specific provisions
Subdivision 4 of section 24-0701 of the environmental conservation law is amended to allow the construction and use, without the requirement of a permit, of temporary skidder trails and machinery, using current best management practices as outlined by USDA Forest Service, when selectively harvesting timber within regulated wetlands.
Justification
Selective harvesting of timber and the operation of machinery for agricultural purposes (including forestry) have always been allowable activities in state regulated wetlands. This bill clarifies that specific logging equipment and other machinery may create and use temporary access trails in wetlands as long as current Best Management Practices as prescribed by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service are followed. The addition would standardize the regulation, as Adirondack Park Agency wetland regulations already specify that "construction and using skid trails for removal of timber" is not a regulated activity within APA jurisdictional wetlands Part 578 §3(n)(4)(ii)(d) .
This change will not weaken the protection of wetlands in any way as state wetlands regulations Part 663.2(c)(2)(ii) prohibit any activities "that alter water flow" through a wetland. This change will allow for consistent application of the statute on a statewide basis.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.