What's happening
This bill requires dam inspection reports to comply with existing public disclosure laws before being shared with municipal officials.
Why it matters
Protects Sensitive Information. By requiring dam inspection reports to comply with existing public disclosure laws, the bill aims to prevent the release of information that could pose security or privacy risks, such as details that might be exploited to compromise critical infrastructure.
Balances Transparency and Security. The amendment ensures that municipal officials still receive necessary safety information about dams in their jurisdiction, but only after it is reviewed to withhold details that are exempt from public disclosure under New York’s Freedom of Information Law.
Clarifies Legal Responsibilities. The bill establishes a clear legal requirement for the Department of Environmental Conservation to vet inspection reports, reducing ambiguity about what can be shared and helping municipal leaders understand their obligations when handling potentially sensitive documents.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Dam Reports Public
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
133
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to inspection reports on dam safety
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 15-0516 of the environmental conservation law, as added by chapter 17 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
1. Within thirty days of the creation by the department of any inspection report of any intermediate or high hazard dam, the department shall provide, to the chief executive officer of a municipality in which the dam is located, a copy of such report. Such report shall also be furnished to the chief executive officer of any other municipality in the county where the dam is located, or any county adjoining such county upon written request of the chief executive officer of such municipality. Provided, however, that any inspection report issued shall be vetted to conform to the existing public disclosure laws, as provided in article six of the public officers law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after March 28, 2006.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01639-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.