What's happening
This bill requires the Long Island Power Authority to provide public notice and detailed information before constructing new above-ground utility transmission facilities.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and community input. by mandating that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) must provide detailed public notice—including environmental assessments, project need, and alternative locations—before constructing new above-ground transmission lines. This gives residents more information and opportunity to respond to projects that may affect their neighborhoods.
Directly notifies impacted parties. such as local governments, state legislators, and individual utility customers within 500 feet of a proposed project, ensuring those most affected are informed early and can participate in the review process.
Requires disclosure of alternatives and reasoning. by obligating LIPA to explain why the primary location was chosen over others, and to make all related studies and environmental documents publicly available, holding the authority accountable for its decisions and potentially influencing project outcomes.
Exempts certain projects. such as in-kind replacements, underground lines, and those already regulated under Article Seven of the Public Service Law, focusing the bill’s requirements on new, above-ground construction that is likely to have the greatest local impact.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Public Notice for Power Lines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by S6861A
- Rules report cal.318
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Print number 8609a
- Amend and recommit to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
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.
Require Public Notice for Power Lines
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Kenneth P. LaValle
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 6861--A A. 8609--A Cal. No. 1243
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
September 1, 2017
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -recommitted to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, MURRAY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- recommitted to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- reported and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the Long Island Power Authority to provide public notice for the construction of utility transmission facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Sections 1020-ii, 1020-jj and 1020-kk of the public authorities law, sections 1020-jj and 1020-kk as renumbered by chapter 415 of the laws of 2017, are renumbered sections 1020-jj, 1020-kk and 1020-ll and a new section 1020-ii is added to read as follows:
§ 1020-ii. Public notice before approval of utility transmission facilities. 1. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "municipality" means a county, city, town or village in the service area;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13310-04-8
S. 6861--A 2 A. 8609--A
(b) "utility transmission facility" means any electric transmission line in the service area, including associated equipment. It shall not include any transmission line which is an in-kind replacement or which is located wholly underground. This section also shall not apply to any major utility transmission facility subject to the jurisdiction of article seven of the public service law; and
(c) "utility customer" means the customer of record located within five hundred feet of a proposed utility transmission facility.
2. The authority shall not construct any utility transmission facility without first providing public notice as provided by this subdivision. Such public notice shall be provided by the authority before the environmental significance of such action is determined by the authority, pursuant to article eight of the environmental conservation law. The public notice shall provide the following information:
(a) the location of the site or right-of-way;
(b) a description of the transmission facility to be built thereon;
(c) the environmental assessment or environmental impact statement prepared for the action, pursuant to article eight of the environmental conservation law;
(d) a summary of any studies which have been made of the environmental impact of the project, and a description of such studies;
(e) a statement explaining the need for the facility;
(f) a description of any reasonable alternate location or locations for the proposed facility;
(g) a description of the comparative merits and detriments of each location submitted; and
(h) a statement of the reasons why the primary proposed location is best suited for the facility.
Copies of the environmental assessment form, environmental impact statement and studies referred to in the notice shall be filed with the authority and shall be available for public inspection.
3. Notice shall be provided by first class mail to:
(a) each municipality in which any portion of such facility is to be located, both as primarily proposed and in the alternative locations listed. Notice to a municipality shall be addressed to the chief executive officer thereof;
(b) each member of the legislature through whose district the facility or any alternate proposed in the application would pass; and
(c) each utility customer.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.