What's happening
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture and Markets to provide pollinator-friendly vegetation management guidelines for property development, especially solar projects.
Why it matters
Encourages more environmentally responsible land development. by requiring the state to provide clear, accessible guidelines for pollinator-friendly practices, especially for solar projects and other property developments.
Aims to support declining pollinator populations. (such as bees and butterflies) by promoting the use of native perennial vegetation and maintenance practices that protect pollinator habitats, which are crucial for agriculture and natural ecosystems.
Provides clarity and consistency for developers and landowners. by outlining specific management practices (e.g., vegetation diversity, blooming seasons, pesticide use, buffer zones), making it easier to design projects that credibly claim to be pollinator-friendly.
Reflects collaboration among government, environmental agencies, and academic experts,. which may improve the scientific quality and practical value of the guidelines, potentially leading to more meaningful conservation outcomes statewide.
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Who cares
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Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.203
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.85
- Substituted for A5312
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.46
- Referred to rules
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.
Share Pollinator-Friendly Guidelines
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Donna Lupardo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2044
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 18, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the department of agriculture and markets making available information concerning minimum guidelines for vegetation management plans in a manner that is pollinator friendly
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 49 of section 16 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 399 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
49. [Develop] Make available, in consultation with the department of environmental conservation and institutions of higher education with expertise in pollinator protection, information concerning minimum guidelines for vegetation management plans used by any person[, corporation, partnership, association or other organized group of persons who make public claims that their property or commercial enterprise on a property, including, but not limited to solar electric generating systems,] who intends to develop their property or commercial enterprise, such as solar electric generating systems, in a manner that is pollinator friendly or provides benefits and protection to pollinators. Such information may include guidelines [shall provide guidance] for short-term and long-term property management practices that provide and maintain native perennial vegetation to protect the health and well-being of pollinators including, but not limited to the percentage of the property that may be covered with native perennial vegetation; the type, amount, and diversity of native perennial vegetation that may be maintained on the property; the number of seasons and the minimum number of species of native perennial vegetation that may be in bloom; maintenance practices to be used; the use of pesticides; the width and composition of buffers adjacent to the property; and any other guidelines estab-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07038-01-9
S. 2044 2
lished by the department. [Nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to restrict any farming practices by any person, corporation, partnership, association or other organized group of persons not making such public claims.]
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as section 1 of chapter 399 of the laws of 2018, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the department of agriculture and markets making available information concerning minimum guidelines for vegetation management plans in a manner that is pollinator friendly
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to provisions of L.2018, c.399, to clarify provisions relating to voluntary guidelines for vege- tation management plans that are pollinator friendly
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the chapter amendment amends subdivision 49 of section 16 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 399 of the laws of 2018, to reflect that the department, in consultation with the department of environmental conservation, will make information about vegetation management available to entities desiring to operate in a pollinator friendly manner.
Existing law
Chapter 399 of 2018 provided for the development of guidelines for prop- erty owners and businesses that want to make public claims that their properties are beneficial to pollinators.
Justification
Concerns were raised that the original bill could be read to imply that the Department of Agriculture and Markets was responsible for developing vegetation management plans, including for solar sites, and that such responsibility was best reserved to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 399 of the Laws of 2018. S6339-A Ritchie and A8083-A Magee passed both the Senate and Assembly in 2018.
Fiscal implications
Minimal
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as section 1 of chapter 399 of the laws of 2018, takes effect
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.