What's happening
This bill requires petroleum bulk storage facilities in New York City to implement accident prevention plans and undergo quarterly independent safety audits.
Why it matters
Targets high-risk urban areas. By focusing on facilities in cities with over one million people, the bill prioritizes densely populated areas like New York City, where petroleum spills could have greater public health and environmental impacts.
Mandates proactive safety culture. Requiring comprehensive accident prevention planning pushes facility operators to systematically identify and mitigate risks, rather than just reacting to incidents after they happen.
Independent oversight increases accountability. Quarterly audits by independent companies aim to ensure that safety plans are not just paperwork but are actually being implemented, reducing the risk of negligence or regulatory shortcuts.
Potential for broader regulatory influence. These new requirements could set a precedent for future safety regulations in other cities or industries, signaling a shift toward more rigorous oversight of hazardous materials in urban environments.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Prevent Petroleum Spills in Cities
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 26
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- 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.
Prevent Petroleum Spills in Cities
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Joseph Lentol
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2366
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to comprehensive accident prevention planning by and auditing of petroleum bulk storage facilities in cities with a population of one million or more
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 17-1006 to read as follows: § 17-1006. Comprehensive accident prevention in cities with a population
of one million or more.
Every owner or operator of a facility, as defined in subdivision one of section 17-1003 of this title, located within a city with a population of one million or more shall undertake comprehensive accident prevention planning for the prevention of spills and leaks of petroleum, and shall hire an independent company to audit, on a quarterly basis, the implementation by such owner or operator of the hazard control plan adopted for such facility.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however effective immediately the commissioner of environmental conservation may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act prior to such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02337-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to comprehensive accident prevention planning by and auditing of petroleum bulk storage facilities in cities with a population of one million or more
Purpose
Petroleum bulk storage facilities pose significant environmental and economic risks to their nearby communities. This legislation will help to mitigate those risks and establishes standards to require third parties to assess the risk management of such facilities.
Summary
Owners and operators of petroleum bulk storage facilities, in cities with a population of one million or more persons, shall be required to undertake comprehensive accident prevention planning and shall hire an independent company to quarterly audit the implementation of the hazard control plan.
Justification
According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the department receives approximately 16,000 reports of confirmed and suspected releases to the environment every year. Ninety percent of these releases involve petroleum products. The danger to the environment from these spills is great, including water and air pollution.
According to the organization, Riverkeeper, between 17 and 30 million gallons of oil leaked beneath the Greenpoint area in Brooklyn, over the last century. This spill contaminated more than 50 acres of land beneath local businesses and residential areas. This bill would require acci- dent prevention planning that could greatly reduce the likelihood of an oil spill.
Legislative history
2018: S7036/A2376 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2017: S1799/A2376 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2016: S106/A556 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2015: S106/A556 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation
Fiscal impact on the state
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law, provided however, the commissioner of environ- mental conservation shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act prior to such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.