What's happening
This bill repeals several state pesticide regulations and aligns New York's pesticide laws and standards with those of the US EPA.
Why it matters
State-level pesticide oversight is significantly reduced. By repealing multiple sections of New York's environmental conservation law, the bill eliminates many state-specific regulations, including those governing the registration, commercial use, purchase, and custom application of pesticides.
Federal EPA rules become the default. The bill requires New York to follow the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s laws, standards, and regulatory decisions. This means any future changes in EPA regulations will automatically apply in New York, reducing the state's ability to set stricter or more tailored standards.
Potential impact on public health and environmental protections. With the removal of state-specific requirements, there could be less rigorous oversight of pesticides in New York. State authorities may lose the ability to quickly respond to local health or environmental concerns related to pesticide use if federal standards are not deemed sufficient.
Economic and regulatory consistency for businesses. Businesses operating in multiple states may benefit from a more uniform set of rules, potentially lowering compliance costs and administrative burdens, as they will only need to follow federal EPA standards rather than navigate additional state-level regulations.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Match EPA Pesticide Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 59
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- 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.
Match EPA Pesticide Standards
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Kenneth Blankenbush
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1382
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2017
Introduced by Sens. GALLIVAN, FUNKE, RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the regulation of pesticides; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Titles 5, 7, 9, 9-A, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 of article 33 of the environmental conservation law are REPEALED.
§ 2. Section 33-0101 of the environmental conservation law is REPEALED and a new section 33-0101 is added to read as follows: § 33-0101. Definitions.
1. "Pesticide" means:
a. Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest; and
b. Any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant.
2. "Desiccant" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for artificially accelerating the drying of plant tissue.
3. "Fungicide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any fungi.
4. "Rodenticide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating rodents or any other vertebrate animals which the commissioner shall declare to be a pest.
5. "Defoliant" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for causing the leaves or foliage to drop from a plant, with or without causing abscission.
6. "Herbicide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any weed.
7. "Insecticide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any insects which
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00360-02-7
S. 1382 2
may be present in any environment whatsoever, except those on or in living man.
§ 3. Section 33-0103 of the environmental conservation law is REPEALED.
§ 4. Sections 33-0303, 33-0304 and 33-0305 of the environmental conservation law are REPEALED and section 33-0301 is amended to read as follows: § 33-0301. Declaration of policy and purposes.
[The purpose of this article is to regulate the registration, commercial use, purchase and custom application of pesticides.] Pesticides, properly used for the control of insects, fungi, weeds, and nematodes, and as defoliants, desiccants, and plant regulators and for related purposes, are valuable, important and necessary to the welfare, health, economic well-being and productive and industrial capabilities of the people of this state. However, such materials, if improperly used, may injure health, property and wildlife. [It is hereby declared to be a matter of legislative determination that the regulation of the registration, commercial use, purchase and custom application of pesticides is needed in the public interest and that in the exercise of the police power all persons be required to register or obtain permits before engaging in such activities.]
The regulation of pesticides, defoliants, desiccants, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and rodenticides in the state shall conform to the laws, standards, and regulations of the United States environmental protection agency and the state shall be bound by decisions and approvals issued thereby.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the regulation of pesticides; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to regulate the registration, commercial use, purchase and custom application of pesticides.
Summary of provisions
Section 1-4 of this bill repeals titles 5, 7, 9, 9-A, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 of article 33 of the environmental conservation law. Added to the law is the definition of pesticide as "any substance or mixture or substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest; and any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant."
Section 5 of this bill sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Currently, pesticide product registration in New York is the slowest in the nation, which puts New York family farms at a great disadvantage. In addition to gaining EPA approval, all new pesticide products must also gain state approval before they may be used in the State. This prevents farmers from using new, safer, and more environmentally friendly pesticide products that are available and are now being used by competitors in other states.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.542 Referred to Environmental Conservation 2013-14: S.155/A.5318 Referred to Environmental Conservation 2011-12: S.6757/A.7739 Referred to Environmental Conservation
Fiscal implications
Savings to the state through reduced paperwork and labor.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.