What's happening
This bill creates a program to provide financial assistance for dry cleaners and nail salons to upgrade equipment for environmental and air quality compliance.
Why it matters
Targets two high-risk industries. By focusing on dry cleaners (transition to non-perchlorethylene machines and sprinkler systems) and nail salons (mechanical ventilation upgrades), the bill directly addresses sectors known for hazardous air pollutants and health risks to both workers and nearby residents.
Reduces environmental and health hazards. The move away from perchloroethylene (a probable human carcinogen) and the requirement for better ventilation in nail salons aim to lower exposure to toxic chemicals, benefiting public health and indoor air quality.
Eases financial burden for small businesses. Many dry cleaners and nail salons are small, often immigrant- or family-owned businesses that may struggle with the upfront costs of compliance. State financial assistance can make regulatory upgrades feasible and prevent closures or job losses.
Sets a precedent for proactive pollution prevention. By providing funding and mandating the creation of a structured assistance program, the bill could serve as a model for supporting other small business sectors in meeting environmental standards, leading to broader improvements in community health and regulatory compliance.
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Who cares
Dry cleaning businesses
The bill would provide financial assistance for non-perchloroethylene machines and sprinkler systems.
Nail salon owners
The bill would provide financial assistance for mechanical ventilation upgrades to comply with air quality regulations.
Environmental Facilities Corporation
The bill would require the corporation to establish and administer the program, issue implementing rules and provide assistance from appropriated funds.
Headline styles
Aid for Cleaners, Nail Salons
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
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5560
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- 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 establishing the financial assistance to business program
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 28-0114 to read as follows: § 28-0114. Financial assistance to business program.
1. The environmental facilities corporation is hereby authorized and directed to establish, develop and implement a financial assistance to business program. The purpose of such program shall be to provide financial assistance to:
a. dry cleaning businesses for non-per-chlorethylene machines and sprinkler systems; and
b. nail salons for upgrades to mechanical ventilation systems to comply with air quality regulations.
2. The environmental facilities corporation shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to carry out the program and shall provide state financial assistance payments to such program from funds appropriated therefor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that, effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10929-01-7
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 the financial assistance to business program
Purpose or general idea of bill
To establish, develop and implement a financial assistance to business program to provide assistance to dry cleaning businesses and nail salons to upgrade equipment to meet certain environmental standards.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends the environmental conservation law by adding a new section 28-0114 to establish, develop and implement a financial assistance to business program to provide assistance to dry cleaning businesses for non-perchloroethylene machines and sprinkler systems and to nail salons for upgrades to mechanical ventilation systems to comply with air quality regulations.
Section 2 sets a 90-day effective date.
Justification
Research over the past 20+ years into the health risks of chemicals used in the dry cleaning and nail salon industries has shown that these chemicals are dangerous to both employees handling these materials and to customers and nearby residents.
The use of perchloroethylene (PERC) in the dry cleaning industry has long been known to create environmental hazards to both employees and to residents who live adjacent to dry cleaning establishments. In the late 1990's, research led the Environmental Protection Agency to mandate that dry cleaning establishments be banned from apartment buildings by 2020 because of the health risks posed by their use of PERC. In 1997, the State of New York imposed regulations regarding equipment, operation and maintenance standards for dry cleaners who continue to use PERC (see 6 NYCRR Part 232, Perchloroethylene Dry Cleaners). Unfortunately, the costs of complying with these regulations is very costly and can range anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000 or higher.
Nail Salons have also come under heightened scrutiny due to the toxicity of certain chemicals used in their industry that raise significant health concerns for both employees and customers. In order to address the air quality issues presented by the use of these chemicals, nail salon owners are facing tremendous expense of upgrading mechanical ventilation systems.
Sometime in the late 1990's New York State provided a similar financial assistance to business program that helped dry cleaning establishments upgrade their equipment. Unfortunately, that program ceased providing assistance sometime in 2000 and the number of dry cleaning businesses that have been able to fully comply with these regulations is not what we would hope it would be 20 years after the regulations were proposed.
The need for these industries to comply with clean air standards and to protect their employees and customers is obvious. What is less obvious is their ability to do so without having to cease operations and add to the growing loss of small businesses that are the lifeblood of a strong economy.
This bill will provide financial assistance to dry cleaning and nail salon businesses to allow them to meet their responsibility in providing a healthy environment while allowing them to remain in business and provide good jobs and great services in their communities.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that, effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be 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.