BILL NUMBER:  S4247

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the executive law, in relation to
designating Dutchess lake, French lake, Green Mountain lake, Harmony
lake, Quaker lake and Wonder lake as inland waterways for purposes of
waterfront revitalization

 PURPOSE :

Designates Dutchess, French, Green Mountain, Harmony, Quaker and
Wonder lakes as inland waterways for purposes of waterfront
revitalization.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 911 of
the executive law, regarding the definition of "inland waterways", by
adding the following lakes: Dutchess, French (in the county of
Dutchess), Green Mountain, Harmony, Quaker (in the county of Dutchess)
and Wonder.

Section two establishes the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The Great Swamp is one of New York's greatest natural resources, a
              

National Historic Landmark and a Critical Environmental Area
designated by the Department of Environmental Conservation. It drains
63,000 acres and spans two watersheds, divided in the town of Pawling
into a north and south flow.

Numerous lakes in and around the Great Swamp's drainage basin form the
headwaters of the Swamp and its tributaries or drain directly into the
Swamp itself. In the Housatonic River Basin, these lakes include
Quaker Lake, French Lake and Green Mountain Lake in the Tenmile River
Watershed in Dutchess County. In the Hudson River Basin, these lakes
include Lake Dutchess, Harmony Lake and Ray Lake in Dutchess County,
and Wonder Lake in Putnam County.

Several of these lakes are identified as impaired on DEC's Waterbody
Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List. Wonder Lake, contained wholly
within a State Park that bears its name, is affected by the aquatic
invasive species trapa natans. The municipalities in the Great Swamp
are watery places underlain with fragile ground water resources. It is
critical that the State protect our critical environmental resources
like the Great Swamp, which is the headwaters of New York City's
drinking water system and part of the Harlem Valley groundwater
system.

By designating these lakes as inland waterways, the municipalities in
the watershed will be able to align their use with the State's Coastal
and Inland Waterway Policies, and will be able to pursue our shared
goals of improved water quality, preservation of open space and
wildlife habitat, promotion of tourism and economic development
opportunities, as well as combating threats to the Great Swamp such as
pollution, stormwater run-off and invasive species.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None of the state.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4247A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the executive law, in relation to
designating Dutchess lake, French lake, Green Mountain lake, Harmony
lake, Quaker lake, Ray lake and Wonder lake as inland waterways for
purposes of waterfront revitalization

 PURPOSE :

Designates Dutchess, French, Green Mountain, Harmony, Quaker, Ray and
Wonder lakes as inland waterways for purposes of waterfront
revitalization.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 911 of
the executive law, regarding the definition of "inland waterways", by
adding the following lakes: Dutchess, French (in the county of
Dutchess), Green Mountain, Harmony, Quaker (in the county of
Dutchess), Ray and Wonder.

Section two establishes the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The Great Swamp is one of New York's greatest natural resources, a
              

National Historic Landmark and a Critical Environmental Area
designated by the Department of Environmental Conservation. It drains
63,000 acres and spans two watersheds, divided in the town of Pawling
into a north and south flow.

Numerous lakes in and around the Great Swamp's drainage basin form the
headwaters of the Swamp and its tributaries or drain directly into the
Swamp itself. In the Housatonic River Basin, these lakes include
Quaker Lake, French Lake and Green Mountain Lake in the Tenmile River
Watershed in Dutchess County. In the Hudson River Basin, these lakes
include Lake Dutchess, Harmony Lake and Ray Lake in Dutchess County,
and Wonder Lake in Putnam County

Several of these lakes are identified as impaired on DEC's Waterbody
Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List. Wonder Lake, contained wholly
within a State Park that bears its name, is affected by the aquatic
invasive species trapa natans. The municipalities in the Great Swamp
are watery places underlain with fragile ground water resources. It is
critical that the State protect our critical environmental resources
like the Great Swamp, which is the headwaters of New York City's
drinking water system and part of the Harlem Valley groundwater
system.

By designating these lakes as inland waterways, the municipalities in
the watershed will be able to align their use with the State's Coastal
and Inland Waterway Policies, and will be able to pursue our shared
goals of improved water quality, preservation of open space and
wildlife habitat, promotion of tourism and economic development
opportunities, as well as combating threats to the Great Swamp such as
pollution, stormwater run-off and invasive species.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None of the state.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.