BILL NUMBER:  S7332

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend chapter 306 of the laws of 2011,
authorizing owners of residential real property in high risk brush
fire areas in the borough of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds
from their property, in relation to extending the expiration and
repeal date thereof for an additional year

 PURPOSE :

To establish a general residential fire break permit for the borough
of Staten Island, city of New York to allow the owner of residential
real property to cut and remove phragmites.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1. Amends Section 3 of chapter 306 of the laws of 2011
authorizing owners of residential real property in high risk brush
fire areas in the borough of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds
from their property, as amended by chapter 245 of the laws of 2015.

Section 2. Provides for an immediate effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Every year on Staten Island there are series of dangerous brushfires.
              

Many areas on Staten Island are prone to brushfires because they are
thick with an invasive, nonnative species of weed - phragmites
communis. Phragmites are reeds and combustible plants that commonly
grow seven feet tall and often turn into tinderboxes especially during
the spring and fall seasons. They have been the proven source of
numerous brush fires which often escalate and threaten surrounding
properties. According to information provided by the New York City
Fire Department, in the past 15 plus years there have been over 7,400
reported brush fires on Staten Island with close to 200 of them being
"all hands on" requiring all fire houses on the Island to send
assistance.

This legislation extends chapter 267 of the laws of 2015 for another
year. It allows a residential property owner in a high risk brush fire
area in the borough of Staten Island to obtain a no-cost permit to cut
down these invasive combustible reeds thereby reducing the
life-threatening phragmite fires that not only destroy property and
homes but put our first responders at risk as they battle these
blazes.

The no-cost permits can be obtained via telephone or in person through
the Staten Island borough president's office. Furthermore, information
regarding the availability of the residential fire break permits can
be found on the Department of Environmental Conservation website.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015: A.1460/S.2546 - Chapter 245.
2014: A.8862/S.6656- Chapter 267.
2012: A.9046/S.6219- Chapter 34.
2011: A.7463/S.4377 -Chapter 306.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed December 31, 2017.