What's happening
This bill establishes a commission to study the feasibility, costs, impacts, and locations for a seawall to protect New York City from sea level rise and storm surge.
Why it matters
Brings together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders. including scientists, engineers, local officials, and state leaders—to ensure a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to evaluating seawall construction.
Focuses on both short-term and long-term risks. by examining areas currently at risk from storm surge as well as those projected to face threats from sea level rise, groundwater changes, and extreme weather through the year 2100.
Requires an in-depth analysis of feasibility, cost, and impact. , which means the commission’s findings could influence not just infrastructure priorities, but also future zoning, insurance, and climate adaptation policy for New York City and surrounding counties.
Potentially sets the stage for significant regulatory or statutory changes. at both the state and local level, as the commission is specifically tasked with recommending alterations needed to enable such large-scale protective infrastructure.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create NYC Seawall Study Panel
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Tabled
- Vetoed memo.242
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- 3rd reading cal.1490
- Substituted for S3435A
- Referred to finance
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.389
- Reported
Show 4 earlier actions
- Print number 2257a
- Amend and recommit to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to environmental conservation
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.
Study New York City Seawall
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2257--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BARNWELL, D'URSO, COLTON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRABENEC, COOK, CRESPO, DICKENS, FERNANDEZ, HEVESI, HYNDMAN, LAVINE, ORTIZ, QUART, SEAWRIGHT, SIMOTAS, TAYLOR, VANEL, WEPRIN, WILLIAMS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation -- reported and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to establish a commission to be known as the "New York seawall study commission"; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. New York seawall study commission. 1. There is hereby established, within the department of environmental conservation, a seawall study commission ("commission") which shall consist of 15 members who shall be appointed as follows:
(a) the commissioner of environmental conservation or his or her designee;
(b) the secretary of state or his or her designee;
(c) two members appointed by the governor;
(d) two members to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
(e) two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(f) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(g) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
(h) two members to be appointed by the mayor of the city of New York;
(i) one member to be appointed by the county executive of the county of Nassau;
(j) one member to be appointed by the county executive of the county of Suffolk; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02238-03-9
A. 2257--A 2
(k) one member to be appointed by the county executive of the county of Westchester.
2. The at large members should include individuals with expertise in one or more of the following areas: climatology; hydrology; environmental; aquaculture; oceanography or coastal ocean science; and engineering.
3. Commission members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
4. The chairperson of the commission shall be the commissioner of environmental conservation or his or her designee. The commission shall meet no less than four times and at other times at the call of the chairperson.
5. Any vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the manner provided for in the initial appointment.
6. The commission shall be authorized to hold public hearings and meetings to enable it to accomplish its duties.
7. The commission may consult with any organization, educational institution, other government entity or agency or person including, but not limited to, the army corps of engineers, in the development of its report required by subdivision 10 of this section.
8. The department of environmental conservation shall provide the commission with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the commission to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at the request of the chairperson, provide the commission with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the commission to carry out its powers and duties.
9. The purpose of the New York seawall study commission shall be to identify the feasibility, costs, impacts, and best locations for construction of a seawall or sea gate to protect the city of New York from sea level rise and storm surge along the entire coastline.
10. No later than December 31, 2022, the commission shall transmit to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly a report containing the following:
(a) coastal areas at greatest risk from sea level rise based on projections established pursuant to section 3-0319 of the environmental conservation law;
(b) areas at risk from storm surge based on current sea levels;
(c) areas that are more likely to be at risk from coastal hazards including rising groundwater levels, saltwater intrusion, coastal flooding, and extreme weather events including coastal storms, with such projections extending through year 2100;
(d) the locations for construction of a seawall or sea gate;
(e) the costs of such construction of a seawall or sea gate; and
(f) recommendations on state and local regulatory and/or statutory alterations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2023.
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.