Relates to special surface water protection areas

BILL NUMBER:S7670

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to special groundwater and surface water protection areas

Purpose or general idea of bill

The purpose of this bill is to improve the quality of surface and groundwater on Long Island.

Summary of specific provisions

This bill would:

* modify the existing Special Groundwater Protection Areas to include special surface Water protection Areas, including areas in the Peconic Estuary watershed, the South Shore Estuary Reserve watershed and the Long Island sound watershed;

* define the Peconic Estuary watershed, the South Shore Estuary Reserve-watershed and the Long Island watershed;

* replace the Long Island Regional planning Board as the designated planning entity for the special water protection areas, with a Long Island Water planning Board consisting of elected officials from the counties and town representing the special groundwater and surface water areas;

* modify the requirements of the comprehensive management plan for Special Groundwater Protection Areas to include the restoration of water quality and the development of an ambient groundwater standard for nitrogen; and,

* modify the existing authorization related to local land use regulation within a special groundwater protection area to include surface water protection areas

Effects of present law which this bill would alter

This bill would amend § 55-0113, § 55-0115, § 55-0117, and § 55-0119 of the Environmental Conservation Law.

Justification

Long Island's groundwater aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for nearly 3 million residents of Nassau and Suffolk County and highly vulnerable to pollution. Because of the value of this resource to the public health and economic stability of the region, protection of Long Island's groundwater resources has been the subject of substantial federal, state and local investment, legislation and policy initiatives for nearly 40 years. Despite these efforts, recent water quality data clearly demonstrates that Long island's water resources

are in a state of gradual decline. Also, it is now well understood that Long Island's groundwater is functionally interconnected to- its surface water resources and that groundwater pollution is rapidly becoming a key management issue In the protection and-restoration of Long island's surface waters, which are integral to the Long Island economy.

The implications of increasing levels of pollution in Long island's ground and surface water resources are significant and require a comprehensive management and restoration strategy that cannot be accomplished by anyone local agency or municipality. Long Island's water resources do not conform to political boundaries and current planning, zoning, and sanitary code regulations are not adequately integrated to accomplish regional surface and groundwater quality goals that must be achieved. The creation of a regional water planning board and comprehensive water conservation and management plan is critically important to the achievement of regional water quality goals, management solutions and integrated regulatory programs that must be part of any viable conservation and restoration strategy for Long Island's water resources. The absence of an integrated and enforceable plan is one of the reasons Long Island is experiencing an increasing level of water pollution and the continued application of a piecemeal management approach to water protection on Long Island will only exacerbate the current trends as well as the economic and public health implications that such trends will impose on the future.

Prior legislative history

This is new legislation.

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None to the State.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.