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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.
Authorizes the enactment or enforcement of local laws or ordinances requiring the monitoring of groundwater impacts resulting from mining or the reclamation of mines within certain counties
In Assembly Committee · Rules · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7231
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to authorizing the enactment or enforcement of local laws or ordinances requiring the monitoring of groundwater impacts resulting from mining or the reclamation of mines within counties with a population of one million or more which draw their primary source of drinking water for a majority of county residents from a designated sole source aquifer
Purpose or general idea of bill
Authorizes the enactment or enforcement of local laws or ordinances requiring the monitoring of groundwater impacts resulting from mining or the reclamation of mines within counties with a population of one million or more which draw their primary source of drinking water for a majority of county residents from a designated sole source aquifer.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 23-2703 of the Environmental Conservation Law is amended relating to enacting or enforcing local laws or ordinances requiring the monitoring of groundwater impacts resulting from mining or the reclamation of mines within counties with a population of one million or more which draw their primary source of drinking water for a majority of county residents from a designated sole source aquifer.
Justification
Recent findings from a study conducted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Suffolk County Department of Health Service's on the operations at a Horseblock Road facility in Yaphank, NY, clearly outline the significant potential for groundwater impacts associated with mining operations.
When mining operations are located within a New York State-designated Special Groundwater Protection Area or an Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone, we must take a proactive approach to environmental protection. Because these special designations were enacted specifically to protect the quality of drinking water located beneath fragile geologic areas, any activity with the potential to contaminate groundwater in an area of such environmental and public health importance must be closely evaluated and monitored over time.
Therefore, it is in our best interest to require a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program on and around mining sites for reclaimed mines in area with which the primary source of drinking water is a sole source aquifer.
Routine groundwater sampling and monitoring can help determine what, if any, groundwater resources may be impacted from these types of operations, and provide an early warning system for any current or future groundwater contamination. Regular groundwater monitoring can also help guide future operational and management policies and regulations for similar facilities.
Prior legislative history
2014: New Legislation
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.