What's happening
This bill restricts the sale and use of high nitrogen fertilizer on lawns in Nassau and Suffolk counties, requiring only low nitrogen fertilizer.
Why it matters
New composition standard. The bill would add a requirement that permitted fertilizer contain no more than 12 percent nitrogen by weight, with at least half of that nitrogen in slow-release form.
Contracts and existing supplies. The Nassau and Suffolk application rule would cover non-agricultural turf as well as lawns, including applications authorized through service contracts. Fertilizer bought before December 31, 2021, could still be used afterward even if it does not meet the new standard.
Potential statewide expansion. The Department of Environmental Conservation would have to report to the governor and Legislature by June 1, 2022, on expanding the sales and use prohibition to other areas of the state.
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Who cares
Nassau and Suffolk fertilizer retailers
They would be allowed to sell or offer for sale only fertilizer meeting the low-nitrogen standard beginning December 31, 2021.
Lawn-care contractors
Their fertilizer applications on lawns and non-agricultural turf in the two counties would have to meet the new standard, subject to the exception for previously purchased supplies.
Homeowners and non-agricultural turf managers
The bill would restrict both their own applications and applications they authorize through service contracts or other arrangements.
Department of Environmental Conservation
The agency would be responsible for preparing the report on extending the restrictions elsewhere in New York.
Headline styles
Limit Lawn Nitrogen Fertilizer
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
22 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Ordered to third reading cal.173
- Advanced to third reading cal.157
- Reported
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Limit Nitrogen in Fertilizer
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Todd Kaminsky
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4568
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, THIELE, D'URSO, COLTON, WEPRIN, RAMOS, L. ROSENTHAL, ABINANTI, GOTTFRIED, GLICK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the sale or use of nitrogen fertilizer
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 17-2104 to read as follows: § 17-2104. Sale or use of nitrogen fertilizer restricted.
1. For the purposes of this section, "low nitrogen fertilizer" shall mean fertilizer containing not more than twelve percent nitrogen by weight, of which at least half must be water insoluble nitrogen, commonly referred to as slow release nitrogen.
2. No person shall apply or authorize any person by way of service contract or other arrangement to apply in Nassau or Suffolk county any fertilizer on lawn or non-agricultural turf, other than low nitrogen fertilizer.
3. Beginning December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-one, retailers in Nassau and/or Suffolk county shall sell or offer for sale only low nitrogen fertilizer.
4. Nothing in this title shall impair or supersede the authority of the commissioner of agriculture and markets pursuant to articles ten and twenty-five-AA of the agriculture and markets law.
§ 2. No later than June 1, 2022, the department of environmental conservation shall prepare a report to the governor and legislature regarding expanding the sales and use prohibition on high nitrogen fertilizer in other areas of the state.
§ 3. This act shall take effect December 31, 2021; provided, however, that persons may continue to use non-conforming nitrogen fertilizer on lawn and non-agricultural turf after December 31, 2021 if such fertilizer was purchased prior to such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07671-01-9
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.