Establishes the New York state ocean acidification task force

6 Co-sponsors

• Thomas Croci
• Kemp Hannon
• Brad Hoylman-Sigal
• George Latimer
• Carl L. Marcellino
• Michael Venditto

Title of bill

An act in relation to creating the New York state ocean acidification task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose

To facilitate research, public education and information-sharing regarding ocean acidification and its impacts on the State.

Summary of provisions

This bill would create a fourteen member Ocean Acidification Task Force within the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to identify the causes and factors contributing to ocean acidification and evaluating ways of addressing the problem by applying the best available science. In addition to the DEC, Department of State (DOS) and the Office of General Services, the Task force would include at large members who would have expertise in one or more of the following areas: climatology; hydrology; economics; marine fisheries; aquaculture; oceanography; or ecology.

Justification

Atmospheric carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid when dissolved in water. As a result, the increased levels of carbon dioxide resulting from climate change have contributed to oceans becoming increasingly acidic. Ocean acidification can be further exacerbated by runoff and nutrient influx from land. According to information provided by the Maine Ocean Acidification Commission, "Scientific data indicates that the rate of acidification is at least 100 times faster at present than at any other time in the last 200,000 years and may be unprecedented in earth's history". In addition, it is thought that the Atlantic Ocean along the Northeast shore will be especially vulnerable to ocean acidification because carbon dioxide is increasingly soluble in cold water and the Northeast will be subject to increasingly intense rain events leading to more intensive runoff.

Although science is still developing, it is believed that ocean acidification will have an adverse impact on the marine fisheries industry, especially shellfish. The Draft Ocean Action Plan 20152025 prepared by DEC and the DOS indicates "In 2011, commercial fishing industries landed more than 27 million pounds of finfish and shellfish worth $37.6 million, generated $5 billion in sales in local communities, contributed $1.8 billion to the gross state product and supported 42,000 jobs. That same year, recreational anglers generated $369 million in sales, contributed $212 million to gross state product and supported 3,000 jobs".

Legislative history

New bill

Fiscal implications

Minimal

Effective date

Immediately and shall be deemed repealed January 1, 2019