What's happening
This bill establishes a mandatory environmental regulations training program for farm owners and employees, funded by fines from concentrated animal feeding operation violations.
Why it matters
Improves compliance and awareness. By requiring farm owners and employees to participate in environmental regulations training, the bill aims to increase understanding and compliance with state environmental laws, potentially reducing unintentional violations.
Targets pollution from large farms. The funding mechanism focuses specifically on fines from concentrated animal feeding operation violations, directly linking resources for education to those sectors with higher environmental impact.
Ensures dedicated funding. The bill mandates that all relevant fines be used exclusively to fund the training program, preventing diversion of these funds to unrelated state expenses and ensuring the program's sustainability.
Potential for environmental benefits. Better-trained farm operators and workers could lead to improved environmental practices, reducing pollution, runoff, and other negative impacts from agricultural operations on local ecosystems and communities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Train Farmers on Regulations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.304
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 1917a
- Amend and recommit 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.
Train Farmers on Regulations
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor William Magee
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1917--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2017
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to establishing a training program for owners and employees of farming operations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new section 17-0307 to read as follows: § 17-0307. Environmental regulations training program.
The commissioner shall establish a training program to foster awareness among owners and employees of a farming operation of state environmental laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the farming industry.
Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, all fines collected pursuant to violations of part seven hundred fifty of title six of the New York code of rules and regulations involving concentrated animal feeding operations shall be under the sole custody of the commissioner and shall be used for the sole purpose of funding the training program established by 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.
LBD07619-02-7
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 establishing a training program for owners and employees of farming operations
Purpose
To establish a training program to foster awareness of laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the farming industry.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the environmental conservation law by adding a new section 17-0307, establishing the environmental regulations training program.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
Justification
Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) are agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures, fields, or on rangeland. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are AFOs that meet certain Environmental Protection Act criteria. CAFOs make up approximately 15 percent of total AFOs. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee, farmers, agribusiness, and other interested parties have worked together to develop General Permits for CAFOs. These permits were generated to help meet the business needs of farmers and assist CAFO owners or operators in complying with State and Federal water quality requirements.
Fines generated from CAFO violations are currently deposited in the state's General Fund. DEC estimates that fines from CAFO violations generate $100,000-$200,000 annually. This legislation will reinvest fines paid for CAFO violations back into training and educational programs for farmers regarding environmental regulations. By using this revenue to foster awareness among owners and employees of a farming operation of state environmental laws, the state achieves the dual goals of promoting environmental conscientiousness while ensuring farmers are afforded a business climate that fosters economic success. For these reasons it is imperative that this bill is enacted.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S.4962 Referred to Environmental Conservation/A7275 Referred to Environmental Conservation.
Fiscal implications
Minimal
Effective date
This act takes effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.