What's happening
This bill expands environmental protections to include additional stream classifications under New York's environmental conservation law.
Why it matters
Expanding the definition of protected streams. means that more water bodies (specifically those classified as C, C(T), and D) will now fall under stricter environmental regulations, potentially preventing pollution or harmful development around these areas.
Inclusion of smaller streams and ponds. ensures that even water bodies previously considered less important for regulation—such as small ponds or lakes under ten acres—are now recognized as ecologically significant, offering greater habitat protection for wildlife and improved water quality safeguards.
Broader regulatory reach for the Department of Environmental Conservation. allows for more comprehensive management of water resources, which can help address emerging environmental threats, such as increased runoff from storms and agricultural activity, before they impact larger water systems or community health.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect More Small Streams
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
28 Co-sponsors
- Felix Ortiz
- Ellen C. Jaffee
- Steven Englebright
- Aileen Gunther
- Patrick Burke
- Patricia Fahy
- Barbara Lifton
- Anthony D'Urso
- John T. McDonald III
- Yuh-Line Niou
- Karines Reyes
- David Weprin
- Deborah Glick
- Walter T. Mosley
- Fred Thiele
- William Colton
- Jo Anne Simon
- Richard Gottfried
- Linda Rosenthal
- Philip Ramos
- Sandy Galef
- Harvey Epstein
- Phil Steck
- Judy Griffin
- Rebecca Seawright
- Nily Rozic
- Inez E. Dickens
- Jonathan Jacobson
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Committed to ways and means
- Ordered to third reading cal.178
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.126
- Rules report cal.126
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4666
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. RYAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the protection of certain streams
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 15-0501 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 233 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as follows:
2. For the purposes of this section, stream shall mean that portion of any fresh surface watercourse, except lakes or ponds having a surface area greater than ten acres at mean low water level, for which the department has adopted or may hereafter adopt pursuant to section 17-030l, any of the following classifications or standards:
AA and AA (T),
A and A (T),
B and B (T),
C and C (T),
D
Small ponds or lakes with a surface area at mean low water level of ten acres or less, located in the course of a stream, shall be considered a part of the stream and subject to regulation under this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08920-01-9
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.