Enacts the flood mitigation council act

1 Co-sponsor

• Cecilia Tkaczyk

BILL NUMBER:S4503B

Title of bill

An act relating to establishing the flood mitigation and prevention task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

Purpose or general idea of bill

To establish a flood mitigation and flood prevention task force based within the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, including representatives of various agencies and local government offi- cials, to identify regions most affected by flooding, prioritize miti- gation efforts, identify sources of funding, and support additional research on mitigation efforts.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 establishes the flood mitigation task force with eleven members consisting of the commissioner of the department environmental conservation or his/her designee, the commissioner of general services or his/her designee, the commissioner of the department of transporta- tion or his/ her designee, the director of the state emergency manage- ment office or his/her designee, the commissioner of the New York state division of homeland security or his/her designee, two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate, one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly and two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate.

Section 2 sets forth that the task force should include members repres- enting flood-prone municipalities and counties.

Section 3 states that members will not receive any compensation but will be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses sustained in the course of their duties.

Section 4 requires the task force meet no less than four times at the call of the chairperson. Section 5 provides that any vacancies should be filled by ways of the initial appointment. Section 6 authorizes the task force to hold public hearings and meetings.

Section 7 allows the task force to consult with organizations like the army corps of engineers to help develop the report required by subdivi- sion 10 of this section.

Section 8 requires the department of environmental conservation to provide the necessary facilities, data and assistance to allow the task force to carry out its responsibilities.

Section 9 establishes the purpose of the flood mitigation/task force to evaluate ways of protecting New York's communities and residents from flooding including inland flooding.

Section 10 states that no later than December 31, 2015 the task force shall submit a report to the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the governor. The report must contain an evaluation of the severity of the flooding, criteria and guidelines for identifying regions and projects most in need of mitigation, identifica- tion of possible funding sources, research studies to better understand how flooding effects the geography and population of the state and recommendations to the governor and state legislature on how the state should use resources to prevent or mitigate flooding.

Section 11 sets an immediate effective date.

Justification

The increasing frequency and severity of flooding throughout the state has underscored the need for greater coordination of efforts among levels of government, agencies, and regions with responsibilities to address flooding. This bill begins to address this deficiency.

Prior legislative history

01/09/13 - 01/12/13 Environmental Conservation Committee

Fiscal implications

To Be Determined.

Effective date

January 1, 2017.