What's happening
This bill requires a study of options to reduce PFOA in Petersburgh’s municipal water supply.
Why it matters
Local focus. The study concerns Petersburgh’s municipal water supply, not water systems statewide.
Options, not construction. The assessment must examine alternative supplies, source cleanup, treatment upgrades and continued interim treatment. The bill does not require implementing any option.
Public findings. Results must be publicly available by September 1, 2018, and town officials must receive up-to-date information throughout the process.
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
Petersburgh municipal water customers
The study would evaluate ways to reduce or eliminate PFOA in their water supply.
Petersburgh town officials
They must receive current information throughout the assessment.
State health and environmental conservation departments
They would coordinate the assessment, conducting it themselves or requiring a third party to perform it.
Headline styles
Study Petersburgh Water Cleanup Options
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1048
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8408
IN SENATE
May 4, 2018
Introduced by Sen. HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT directing the department of health to conduct an assessment of alternatives to eliminate or reduce perfluorooctanoic acid in the municipal water supply in Petersburgh, New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The department of health, in conjunction with the department of environmental conservation, shall perform, or require a third party to perform, a study and assessment of alternatives to eliminate or reduce perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the municipal water supply in the town of Petersburgh, New York. The study will evaluate at least the following alternatives:
(a) Creation of an alternate water supply for the town of Petersburgh, including, but not limited to, a new well field, a surface water supply source, and interconnection with an existing municipal water supply system, or any combination of those alternatives;
(b) Remediating and/or treating the sources of PFOA to the groundwater and the municipal water supply;
(c) Upgrading the existing municipal water supply beyond the full capacity system;
(d) Continuation of the existing interim remedial measures, including a full capacity granular activated carbon (GAC) water treatment system to address PFOA in the municipal water supply for the permitted maximum daily flow, point of entry treatment (POET) systems; and
(e) Any other alternatives deemed appropriate for study and assessment as determined by the department of health.
2. The commissioner of health shall ensure that officials from the town of Petersburgh are provided with up-to-date information throughout the study and assessment process.
3. The results of such study and assessment shall be made publicly available no later than September 1, 2018.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15633-04-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act directing the department of health to conduct an assessment of alternatives to eliminate or reduce perfluorooctanoic acid in the municipal water supply in Petersburgh, New York
Purpose
To provide the Town of Petersburgh, New York, with an evaluation of alternative water sources.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 establishes an assessment of alternatives to eliminate or reduce PFOA in the municipal water supply in Petersburgh, New York.
Sections 2 establishes an effective date.
Justification
In November 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conser- vation (DEC) announced it had secured a legal an initial legal agreement to hold Taconic Plastics responsible for PFOA contamination in Peters- burgh area. Specifically, DEC called on Taconic to investigate the feasibility of an alternative water supply as part of its Remedial Investigation Work Plan. However, the consent order itself does not contain language for studying the feasibility of an alternative water supply. DEC has a similar legal agreement with companies St. Gobain and Honeywell for contamination in the Hoosick Falls area with specific language requiring studying the feasibility of an alternative water supply.
While DEC has and continues to work to address PFOA in areas across the state, including installation of a Carbon Treatment System and POETS in Petersburgh, it is crucial that the Town have as much information as possible in order to make informed decisions going forward to address its water quality.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.