What's happening
This bill allows county governments in New York to lease county land for natural gas exploration and extraction under certain conditions.
Why it matters
Potential new revenue source for counties. By allowing counties to lease their land for natural gas development, this bill gives local governments a way to generate income, potentially offsetting taxes or funding services.
Environmental and community impacts at the local level. Counties could see increased industrial activity and its associated risks or benefits, such as job creation, possible environmental concerns, and impacts on local infrastructure and land use.
Local control over terms and conditions. County legislative bodies have significant discretion in setting the terms of these leases, which could lead to varied approaches across the state depending on local priorities and attitudes toward natural gas extraction.
Long-term land commitment. If gas is discovered and extracted, leases can be automatically extended for as long as production continues, meaning county lands could be tied up in these agreements indefinitely, affecting future land use decisions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow County Gas Leases
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
956
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ANGELINO, DeSTEFANO, DiPIETRO, DURSO, LEMONDES, MANKTELOW, McDONOUGH, MORINELLO, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the county law, in relation to leases for the exploration and drilling for and extraction of natural gas and liquefied natural gas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 215 of the county law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4-a to read as follows:
4-a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions three and four of this section, a board of supervisors or other county legislative body may lease, upon such terms and conditions as the board or body shall determine, county land for the purposes of the exploration, development and production of natural gas and liquefied natural gas, as such terms are defined in section 23-1705 of the environmental conservation law, for not more than five years and, if any such gas is produced upon the county land prior to the expiration of such five year lease, the lease shall be extended for as long as natural gas or liquefied natural gas is produced in paying quantities.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02660-01-5
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.