What's happening
This bill classifies waste from oil and gas operations as hazardous if it meets state criteria, requiring stricter handling regulations.
Why it matters
Closes a regulatory loophole. Previously, certain oil and gas wastes were exempt from being classified as hazardous, even if they met hazardous criteria. This bill removes that special treatment, ensuring these wastes are regulated like other hazardous materials.
Could increase industry compliance costs. Oil and gas companies would need to handle, transport, and dispose of their wastes under stricter hazardous waste regulations, potentially raising operational costs and changing disposal practices.
Aims to protect public health and the environment. By requiring hazardous oil and gas wastes to be managed under more stringent standards, the bill seeks to reduce risks of contamination to soil, water, and air near drilling and extraction sites.
Creates a faster timeline for regulatory updates. The law mandates that state environmental agencies update regulations within six months, meaning changes would take effect relatively quickly and could impact existing and future oil and gas operations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Treat Fracking Waste as Hazardous
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
24 Co-sponsors
- William Colton
- Barbara Lifton
- Richard Gottfried
- Sandy Galef
- Linda Rosenthal
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- David Buchwald
- Vivian Cook
- Jo Anne Simon
- Rebecca Seawright
- Patricia Fahy
- Thomas Abinanti
- Luis R. Sepúlveda
- Felix Ortiz
- James Skoufis
- Dan Quart
- Robert C. Carroll
- Phil Steck
- Amy Paulin
- Jeffrey Dinowitz
- Al Taylor
- Christine Pellegrino
- Crystal Peoples-Stokes
- Deborah Glick
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Advanced to third reading cal.978
- Reported
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Regulate Oil and Gas Waste
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2427
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 20, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, COLTON, LIFTON, GOTTFRIED, GALEF, ROSENTHAL, ARROYO, BUCHWALD, COOK, SIMON, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SOLAGES, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the uniform treatment of waste
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 27-0903 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. Uniform treatment of waste. All waste resulting from the exploration, development, extraction or production of crude oil or natural gas, including but not limited to drilling fluids and produced waters, shall be considered hazardous waste under the law of this state and subject to all pertinent generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal laws and regulations, if such waste meets the definition of hazardous waste set forth in subdivision three of section 27-0901 of this chapter. Within six months from the effective date of this subdivision, the department shall make all necessary changes to bring its regulations into compliance with this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00588-01-7
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.