What's happening
The bill invalidates permits for unused public supply wells in large counties, requiring environmental review before reissuing permits.
Why it matters
Targets large counties with critical water resources. The bill specifically affects counties with over two million residents that rely on a sole source aquifer, putting stricter oversight on wells that supply drinking water to densely populated areas.
Addresses potential risks of inactive wells. By invalidating permits for public supply wells unused for over two years, the legislation aims to prevent contamination, mismanagement, or unmonitored changes in groundwater conditions that inactive wells might pose.
Requires comprehensive environmental review before reactivation. Prior to renewing or reissuing permits for these wells, a full review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) is mandated, ensuring that potential environmental impacts are carefully considered before a well returns to service.
Immediate impact on currently inactive wells. The law applies retroactively to any qualifying public supply well that has already been unused for two years as of the effective date, meaning some wells could lose their permits right away, potentially affecting local water supply planning and infrastructure decisions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Review Permits for Unused Wells
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1261
- 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
3995
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 1, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PHILLIPS -- 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 operation of certain inactive wells
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 15-1527 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. In any county with two million or more residents, any permits issued by the department for public supply wells accessing a sole source aquifer shall be deemed invalid if the public supply well has not been used for the withdrawal and public supply of water for over two years and such well or wells shall be deemed abandoned. Prior to the reissuance or renewal of any such permit for water withdrawal, the department shall commence a full review under the state environmental quality review act. Any such permit which has not been renewed or reissued subsequent to such review shall be deemed invalid upon the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand seventeen which added this subdivision.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any such public supply well that has not been used for the withdrawal and public supply of water for over two years on the effective date of this act.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09584-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to repeal paragraph d of subdivision 6 of section 661 of the education law relating to eligibility of incarcerated persons for academic performance awards
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to require the DEC to conduct a full environmental quality review be undertaken for wells accessing a sole source aquifer in a county with a population of two million or more that have been inactive for the purposes of water withdrawal at least two years.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 15-1527 of the environmental conservation law to invalidate permits for water wells accessing a sole source aquifer in a county with a population of two million or more that have been inactive for water withdrawal purposes for two years or more, and to require a state environmental quality review prior to reissuance of such permits.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
Justification
Protecting Long Island's sole source aquifer is critical to the health and wellbeing of millions of the state's residents. Although the importance of this resource is indisputable, ensuring its protection requires maximum coordination from all parts of Long Island and New York state.
Each time a well is tapped for water withdrawal creates an effect on the entire of the aquifer, especially those communities adjacent thereto. Therefore careful consideration must be given when reopening public supply wells that have been abandoned for withdrawal even if said wells have existing permits. This bill will ensure a proper State review on the environmental impact in these instances and require that such wells not be reopened absent a proper review confirming no adverse impact to surrounding communities or the sole source aquifer.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately and shall apply to any such public supply well that has not been used for the withdrawal and public supply of water for over two years on the effective date of this chapter.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.