What's happening
This bill requires municipalities near major Metropolitan Transportation Authority hubs to conduct environmental impact reviews before adopting comprehensive zoning plans.
Why it matters
Ensures transportation infrastructure can handle growth. By requiring environmental reviews that specifically assess whether subway and bus hubs can manage increased ridership, the bill aims to prevent overcrowding and service degradation that could result from new zoning that encourages higher density near major transit centers.
Links urban planning with environmental oversight. The bill mandates that large-scale zoning changes near major transit hubs are not made in isolation, but must consider broader environmental and community impacts, potentially leading to more sustainable and livable neighborhoods.
May slow or add scrutiny to development projects. Municipalities will have to conduct thorough reviews before enacting zoning changes, which could delay or alter development plans, especially those aiming for transit-oriented growth, to address potential negative impacts on transit systems and the surrounding environment.
Expands public accountability and transparency. By invoking the state environmental quality review process, the bill increases opportunities for public input and oversight when municipalities plan major zoning changes around key transportation nodes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Environmental Impact Reviews
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 40
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Environmental Reviews for Zoning
In Senate Committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2026
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. KIM -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to require an environmental impact review in certain instances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any municipality that is served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and initiates a comprehensive zoning plan that is designed in relation to its proximity and accessibility to a transportation hub where more than 4 subway or bus lines converge shall conduct an environmental impact review subject to the provisions of the state environmental quality review act under article 8 of the environmental conservation law and its implementing regulations, to determine if such transportation systems can assimilate increased ridership.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03802-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.