Senator Webb and the Senate Majority Advance Legislation To Aid New Yorkers In Storm Recovery

(Albany, NY) Today, the Senate Democratic Majority advanced legislation to further protect New Yorkers and provide them with relief from the cataclysmic impacts of climate change. As New York experiences increasingly severe weather patterns and frequent storms, the need to establish unified and coordinated fronts and initiatives involving all levels of government to address the problems of flooding, sea level rise and torrential rainfall is necessary now more than ever as these events are no longer one-offs but have become repeated occurrences. This legislative package will implement proactive measures to combat catastrophic climatic changes at a time when many areas of New York have recently been negatively impacted and devastated by emerging unpredictable weather patterns. 

Said Senator Lea Webb, “My constituents understand all too well the dangers posed by severe flooding in our communities. Here in the Southern Tier, we have lived through multiple historic floods, which we used to call “once in a generation” storms. As our changing climate brings severe weather to our region more frequently, flood mitigation strategies will be our best defense to ensure that our communities are resilient and ready to recover from storm damage. I am proud of the legislative package advanced by the Senate Democratic Majority today, as these initiatives will empower our communities and our municipal leaders with the support they need to implement flood mitigation strategies, protect their homes, and shore up our infrastructure.”

The legislation passed by the Senate Democratic Majority includes:

• Climate Change Property Tax Assessment Relief Act: This bill, S7515, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, enables local governments to provide assessment relief to property owners within eligible municipalities who are affected by acts of nature causing damage to their primary residence.
• Flood Insurance Investigation: This bill, S8167, sponsored by Senator Neil Breslin, directs the Department of Financial Services to conduct a comprehensive study on private flood insurance, including the affordability of insurance premiums and availability of flood insurance coverage in the state.
• Stormwater Expenditure Report: This bill, S8170, sponsored by Senator Pete Harckham, requires the Department of Environmental Conservation, after consultation with the Environmental Facilities Corporation and the Department of State, to submit an annual agency stormwater expenditure report.
• Public Notice of Increased Runoff from Construction Activities: This bill, S8171, sponsored by Senator Pete Harckham, requires that owners and operators of construction projects requiring a stormwater runoff permit must notify the relevant counties of the project and its potential for increased runoff, and that counties must publicly post that information. 
• Re-convening the Sea Level Rise Task Force This bill, S8110, sponsored by Senator Monica Martinez, reinstates the Department of Environmental Conservation-led NY Sea Level Rise Task Force to evaluate progress on the Task Force’s previous recommendations for protecting coastal ecosystems and increasing community resilience to sea-level rise and propose next steps for safeguarding New York against the worsening threat of sea-level rise. 
• Establish a Designated Office for Flood Abatement:  This bill, S3335A, sponsored by Senator Mayer, would create an office of Flood Prevention and Mitigation tasked with coordinating existing state work on flooding, supporting municipalities in their efforts to prevent and mitigate flooding, and researching flooding impacts and mitigation in New York. 
• New York City Seawall Study: This bill, S1812A, sponsored by Senator Joseph Addabbo, requires the Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct a study on the feasibility of constructing a seawall and other flooding mitigation measures along the coastline of New York City
• Increasing Eligibility for the Coastal Market Assistance Program: This bill, S8320A, sponsored by Senator Mayer, increases the number of properties that are eligible for the Coastal Market Assistance Program, particularly in the Long Island Sound and Great Lakes regions. 

###