What's happening
This bill requires New York State and City to create online, publicly accessible databases tracking hazardous substance storage, incidents, and emergency responses.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public awareness. by making detailed records about hazardous substances—such as storage locations, incident reports, and emergency responses—readily available online to the general public, not just government agencies.
Promotes accountability and oversight. for both public agencies and private entities handling hazardous materials, since all notifications, incident responses, and pipeline details will be tracked in a centralized, accessible database.
Improves emergency preparedness and response. by giving first responders and city/state officials comprehensive, up-to-date information about hazardous materials storage, incidents, and infrastructure (like pipeline locations and control valves), potentially enabling quicker, more effective action during emergencies.
Facilitates better policy-making and community advocacy. by providing legislators, staff, and advocacy groups with the detailed, real-time data needed to identify risks, propose safety improvements, and monitor outcomes over time.
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
Track Hazardous Chemicals Online
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3871
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 27, 2017
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- 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 and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a computerized database containing information relating to the storage and handling of hazardous substances and emergency responses to the release of hazardous substances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-0301 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. a. The commissioner shall maintain a computerized data system which shall contain information relating to the storage and handling of hazardous substances and emergency responses to the release of hazardous substances by any agency or responsible person. This system shall have access to information stored on other computerized data systems maintained by agencies, which information shall collectively include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) the date and time of all notifications received by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter and all relevant rules of the department and the information contained in such notifications;
(2) the date and time of notifications received by the police and fire departments, the emergency medical service, the department of transportation and any other agency with respect to the transport and release of hazardous substances and the information contained in such notification;
(3) the date, time and location of all response measures, undertaken or ordered to be undertaken pursuant to this chapter, a description of such response measures, the hazardous substance or substances released and the quantity of each hazardous substance released;
(4) the location of all pipelines within the city which transport or are intended to transport any hazardous substance, petroleum or any
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00332-01-7
S. 3871 2
petroleum product and for each such pipeline the location of every valve or other control device which may be used to interrupt the transport of such material and the owner or operator of such pipeline;
(5) the information required to be reported pursuant to article forty of this chapter; and
(6) the inventory database compiled by the commissioner pursuant to article forty of this chapter.
b. All of the information required by paragraph a of this subdivision shall be made available on-line in read-only form to personnel from any agency, members of the legislature and legislative staff and shall be made available to members of the public.
§ 2. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 24-613 to read as follows:
§ 24-613 Computerized database. a. The commissioner shall maintain a computerized data system which shall contain information relating to the storage and handling of hazardous substances and emergency responses to the release of hazardous substances by any agency or responsible person. This system shall have access to information stored on other computerized data systems maintained by agencies, which information shall collectively include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) the date and time of all notifications received by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter and all relevant rules of the department and the information contained in such notifications;
(2) the date and time of notifications received by the police and fire departments, the emergency medical service, the department of transportation and any other agency with respect to the transport and release of hazardous substances and the information contained in such notification;
(3) the date, time and location of all response measures, undertaken or ordered to be undertaken pursuant to this chapter, a description of such response measures, the hazardous substance or substances released and the quantity of each hazardous substance released;
(4) the location of all pipelines within the city which transport or are intended to transport any hazardous substance, petroleum or any petroleum product and for each such pipeline the location of every valve or other control device which may be used to interrupt the transport of such material and the owner or operator of such pipeline;
(5) the information required to be reported pursuant to section 24-706 of this title; and
(6) the citywide facility inventory database compiled by the commissioner pursuant to section 24-707 of this title.
b. All of the information required by subdivision a of this section shall be made available on-line in read-only form to personnel from any agency, members of the council and council staff and shall be made available to members of the public.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after is 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 is authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective 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 and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a computerized database containing information relating to the storage and handling of hazardous substances and emergency responses to the release of hazardous substances
Purpose
To ensure that information about spills and releases of hazardous substances is publicly available.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends 3-0301 of the environmental conservation law to require the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to maintain a computerized database relating to storage, handling and responses to releases of hazardous waste. It also sets forth the information that must be included in the database.
Section 2 amends the administrative code of the city of New York to require the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection to maintain a computerized database relating to storage, handling and responses to releases of hazardous waste. It also sets forth the information that must be included in the database.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Exposure to hazardous substances poses a risk to public health and the environment. Chemical hazards and toxic substances pose a wide range of health hazards (such as irritation, sensitization, and carcinogenicity) and physical hazards (such as flammability, corrosion, and reactivity).
The goal of this legislation is to ensure the public has full access to information about the locations of hazardous substances and the spill or release of hazardous substances that might harm themselves or their family. This information will help the public make important decisions about the environmental health of their communities.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.5411 Referred to Environmental Conservation
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth 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 is authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.