What's happening
This bill requires air quality monitoring and public reporting for major mass transportation excavation projects in large cities.
Why it matters
Mandates real-time air quality monitoring during large-scale transit excavations, targeting areas with high population density. this ensures that potential air pollution risks are actively measured where the most people could be affected.
Focuses on particulate matter (PM2.5) and other federally recognized pollutants. , which are linked to serious health conditions, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory illnesses.
Requires timely public disclosure of air quality data and reports online. , increasing transparency and allowing residents, workers, and local officials to make informed decisions or demand mitigation if harmful pollution levels are detected.
Expands government accountability in major infrastructure projects. , incentivizing project planners and contractors to implement best practices for pollution control to avoid negative public attention or regulatory consequences.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Monitor Air Near Big Digs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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
4165
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 6, 2017
Introduced by Sens. KRUEGER, ADDABBO, HAMILTON, HOYLMAN, PERKINS -- 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 requiring air quality monitoring for certain major mass transportation projects
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 19-0322 to read as follows: § 19-0322. Air quality monitoring required for major mass transportation
projects.
1. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Major mass transportation project" means the construction or reconstruction of any rapid transit, railroad, omnibus, marine transportation or other mass transportation facility with a cost of seventy-five million or more dollars.
(b) "Excavation" means the movement or removal of earth, rock or other materials in or on the ground by use of mechanized equipment or by blasting, and includes, but is not limited to, auguring, backfilling, boring, drilling, grading, plowing in, pulling in, trenching and tunneling; provided, however, that the movement of earth by tools manipulated only by human or animal power and the tilling of soil for agricultural purposes shall not be deemed excavation.
2. The department shall conduct an air quality analysis of the area surrounding the excavation of any major mass transportation project within a city having a population of one million or more, which analysis shall, be conducted in a manner that is protective of human health and at a minimum include, federal criteria pollutants including particulate
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05981-01-7
S. 4165 2
matter of 2.5 microns or smaller and other emissions as the commissioner may specify.
3. Once completed, the department shall make all such air quality analysis, including raw data and reports available on its website within ninety days.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
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 requiring air quality monitoring for certain major mass transportation projects
Purpose or general idea of bill
To provide for regular monitoring of air quality at and around the site of all major mass transportation construction projects to be performed by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would amend the Environmental Conservation Law by adding a new section 19-0322 to detail the responsibilities of the DEC to analyze and report on the air quality at and around any major mass transportation project.
Justification
Currently there is no regulatory requirement for air quality monitoring at the site of major transportation construction projects. This bill would ensure that the surrounding community of any such project would have access to accurate and timely information about the quality of their air.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016 - S.2784
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.