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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.322
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.366
- Substituted for A10146A
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Restored to third reading
- Recommitted to rules
- Ordered to third reading cal.1515
Show 4 earlier actions
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 7772a
- Amend (t) and recommit to environmental conservation
- 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.
Establishes a pilot program to conduct scientific research and assessment of the feasibility of seaweed cultivation
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Fred Thiele
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 establishing a pilot program to conduct research and scientific assessment of the feasibility of seaweed cultivation; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
To authorize Suffolk County to allow the underwater lands at Gardiner's and Peconic Bays within the shellfish cultivation zone to be used for the implementation of a pilot program to conduct research and scientific assessment of the feasibility of seaweed cultivation.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Section 13-0302 of the Environmental Law is amended to authorize Suffolk County to allow the underwater lands at Gardiner's and Peconic Bays within the shellfish cultivation zone to be used for the implementation of a pilot program to conduct research and scientific assessment of the feasibility of seaweed cultivation.
Section 2. Immediate effective date with an expiration and repeal date of July 1, 2026.
Justification
Chapter 425 of the Laws of New York 2004, amended the Environmental Conservation Law by adding Section 13-0302 under which the State of New York ceded 110,000 acres of underwater land in Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay to Suffolk County for the purpose of shellfish cultivation, and authorized Suffolk County to develop a leasing program that would provide current and new shellfish growers access to these waters in an environmentally sustainable way. The Suffolk County Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Program (SCALP) in Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay was adopted by Suffolk County in 2009, and successful implementation is underway.
There is evidence in neighboring states, including Connecticut and Maine that seaweed and macroalagae cultivation can yield an economically viable market product which also has the duel benefit of being a nutrient sink, remove excess nitrogen from estuarine waters.
This bill would authorize Suffolk County to allow the underwater lands at Gardiner's and Peconic Bays within the shellfish cultivation zone to be used for the implementation of a pilot program to conduct research and scientific assessment of the feasibility of seaweed cultivation. The pilot program would take effect immediately upon enactment of this legislation and would sunset on July 1, 2026.
Legislative history
2016: New Legislation
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
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.