What's happening
This bill adds the preservation of the nighttime sky as a state policy goal in environmental conservation law.
Why it matters
Recognizes light pollution as an environmental issue. By explicitly mentioning the nighttime sky, the bill highlights light pollution as a factor in environmental quality, potentially influencing how state agencies and developers approach outdoor lighting and urban planning.
Supports broader conservation efforts. Including the nighttime sky among "unique qualities" to be preserved expands conservation goals beyond just land and water, potentially benefiting wildlife, astronomy, and rural communities that rely on dark skies for tourism and quality of life.
May lead to future regulations or initiatives. Making nighttime sky preservation a policy goal could pave the way for new guidelines or funding for projects that reduce unnecessary artificial lighting, encourage smart lighting technologies, or protect designated dark sky areas.
Integrates the value of aesthetics and human experience. Explicitly valuing the nighttime sky as “aesthetically pleasing” elevates its importance in discussions about state development, environmental education, and public health, connecting environmental policy more closely to residents’ everyday experiences.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Night Sky Quality
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
5 Multi-sponsors
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
3882
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, GOTTFRIED, GALEF, DINOWITZ, LUPARDO, CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, GLICK, HOOPER, ORTIZ, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to stating policy relating to preserving the unique qualities of the nighttime sky
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 1-0101 of the environmental conservation law is amended to read as follows:
3. It shall further be the policy of the state to foster, promote, create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can thrive in harmony with each other, and achieve social, economic and technological progress for present and future generations by:
a. Assuring surroundings including the nighttime sky which are healthful and aesthetically pleasing;
b. Guaranteeing that the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment is attained without risk to health or safety, unnecessary degradation or other undesirable or unintended consequences;
c. Promoting patterns of development and technology which minimize adverse impact on the environment;
d. Preserving the unique qualities including the nighttime sky of special resources such as the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves and of state parks, farms and forested land and other open space;
e. Providing that care is taken for the air, water and other resources that are shared with the other states of the United States and with Canada in the manner of a good neighbor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05335-01-7
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.