What's happening
This bill creates a Sustainable Communities Fund to provide grants for municipal projects that promote smart growth and environmental sustainability.
Why it matters
Prioritizes local investment in sustainability. By requiring municipal projects to use “smart growth” principles and climate-resilient construction, the bill incentivizes cities and towns to plan for long-term environmental and community health, not just short-term fixes.
Leverages local and state funding. Municipalities must provide matching funds for every dollar received, ensuring local buy-in and maximizing the impact of state grants. This encourages careful project selection and deeper community commitment.
Targets urban vitality and quality of life. Eligible projects include walkable neighborhoods, bike infrastructure, waterfront improvements, and anti-sprawl initiatives—measures that can reduce pollution, improve public health, and make communities more attractive and economically competitive.
Establishes accountability and oversight. The commissioner of environmental conservation is tasked with setting rules for how funds are distributed, aiming to ensure projects meet sustainability goals and that public money is used effectively.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Sustainable Communities Fund
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 127
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
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.
Create Sustainable Communities Fund
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Rachel May
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
581
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the sustainable communities fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ff to read as follows:
§ 99-ff. Sustainable communities fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of environmental conservation a fund to be known as the "sustainable communities fund".
2. Such fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for its purpose, all other monies credited or transferred to such fund pursuant to law, and all monies required by this section or any other provisions of law to be paid into or credited to such fund.
3. Moneys of such fund shall be made available to the commissioner of environmental conservation and shall be used for grants to municipal corporations, as that term is defined in section two of the general municipal law, for eligible projects pursuant to this section. To qualify for such grants, municipal corporations shall (a) incorporate smart growth principles, as enumerated in article six of the environmental conservation law, into their comprehensive plans in accordance with sections two hundred seventy-two-a of the town law, 7-722 of the village law, and twenty-eight-a of the general city law, (b) demonstrate that eligible projects conform to the comprehensive plans, and (c) demonstrate the ability to leverage one dollar in matching funds for every dollar of state financial assistance.
4. Following appropriation by the legislature, monies of the fund shall be available only for distribution to eligible projects. Such
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00660-01-9
A. 581 2
eligible projects shall incorporate smart growth principles or utilize climate resilient and environmentally friendly construction techniques and shall include, but not be limited to, creating walkable communities including the widening of sidewalks and bike lanes, waterfront revitalization projects including dredging, beautification projects, combating urban sprawl, and developing mixed use communities.
5. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall promulgate any necessary rules and regulations for the application and distribution of any funds pursuant to this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, the commissioner of environmental conservation is authorized and directed to promulgate, amend, and/or repeal any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on or before its effective date.
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.