End MTA Environmental Exemption

Section 1. Subdivisions 3 and 11 of section 1266 of the public authorities law, subdivision 3 as amended and subdivision 11 as added by chapter 314 of the laws of 1981, are amended to read as follows:

3. The authority may establish, levy and collect or cause to be established, levied and collected and, in the case of a joint service arrangement, join with others in the establishment, levy and collection of such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees as it may deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any transportation facility and related services operated by the authority or by a subsidiary corporation of the authority or under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority. Any such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers shall be established and changed only if approved by resolution of the authority adopted by not less than a majority vote of the whole number of members of the authority then in office, with the [chairman] chair having one additional vote in the event of a tie vote, and only after a public hearing, provided however, that fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers on any transportation facility which are in effect at the time that the then owner of such transportation facility becomes a subsidiary corporation of the authority or at the time that operation of such transportation facility is commenced by the authority or is commenced under contract, lease or other arrangement, including

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD04425-01-5

joint service arrangements, with the authority may be continued in effect without such a hearing. Such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees shall be established as may in the judgment of the authority be necessary to maintain the combined operations of the authority and its subsidiary corporations on a self-sustaining basis. The said operations shall be deemed to be on a self-sustaining basis as required by this title, when the authority is able to pay or cause to be paid from revenue and any other funds or property actually available to the authority and its subsidiary corporations (a) as the same shall become due, the principal of and interest on the bonds and notes and other obligations of the authority and of such subsidiary corporations, together with the maintenance of proper reserves therefor, (b) the cost and expense of keeping the properties and assets of the authority and its subsidiary corporations in good condition and repair, and (c) the capital and operating expenses of the authority and its subsidiary corporations. The authority may contract with the holders of bonds and notes with respect to the exercise of the powers authorized by this section. [No acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or any subsidiary of the authority pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision shall be deemed to be "actions" for the purposes or within the meaning of article eight of the environmental conservation law.]

11. No project to be constructed upon real property theretofore used for a transportation purpose, or on an insubstantial addition to such property contiguous thereto, which will not change in a material respect the general character of such prior transportation use, nor any acts or activities in connection with such project, shall be subject to the provisions of article [eight,] nineteen, twenty-four or twenty-five of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article. [Nor shall any acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or by any other person or entity, public or private, in connection with the planning, design, acquisition, improvement, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a transportation facility, other than a marine or aviation facility, be subject to the provisions of article eight of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article if such acts or activities require the preparation of a statement under or pursuant to any federal law or regulation as to the environmental impact thereof.]

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.