BILL NUMBER:  S6084

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the environmental conservation law,
in relation to invasive species

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

Amends the environmental conservation law, in relation to invasive
species

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision 10 of section 9-1703 of the
environmental conservation law to clarify the definition of "invasive
species"

Section 2 of the bill provides for the effective date

 JUSTIFICATION :

Pursuant to the environmental conservation law, the definition of
"invasive species" provides for a limited scope of those that are (a)
non-native to the ecosystem under consideration; and (b) whose
introduction causes or is likely to cause environmental harm or harm
to human health. While this definition has effectively allowed for
State intervention regarding many species that pose financial and
              

environmental harm to New York State including, but not limited to,
the Asian long-horned beetle (insect), Dutch elm disease (pathogen),
and the European oak bark beetle (insect), it does not address
infestations that have had devastating impacts that are similar in
nature. As such, this legislation will expand the definition of
invasive species to include infestations that are large enough to be
considered harmful and threatening to environmental and human health,
including those by insects that carry vector-borne diseases including
Lyme disease and West Nile Virus.

West Nile Virus has seen a significant spread across the United States
since early monitoring in 1999. Many of the initial outbreaks were
found in New York State. The mosquito carried virus has had
devastating impacts on bird, horse, and human populations and has
threatened the economic stability of many businesses and farms across
the state. In addition, New York has also found itself as an epicenter
in the Lyme disease outbreak that has resulted in Lyme being the most
commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States. In fact,
94% of Lyme disease cases were reported in 12 states in 2010,
including New York. In 2013, the CDC reported that New York had the
second-highest number of confirmed Lyme disease cases (42,111 cases)
in the United States during 20032012. The deer tick, or carrier, has
been found in 42 counties of New York and is common in areas where
deer and woodland mice can be found. Given the pattern of outbreaks,
prevalence, impacts, and modalities of the spread of these types of
illnesses, the insects that carry these vector-borne diseases should
be included in the definition of invasive species for the purposes of
management and control efforts.

As such, the expanded definition will make infestations of this sort
subject to the purview of the Invasive Species Council, a statutory
body created in 2008, charged with coordinating among state entities
and private partners to address environmental, economic, and health
threats of invasive species. While New York has taken important steps
in addressing West Nile Virus and Lyme disease through target public
health efforts, the interagency coordination, as well as
multidisciplinary approach to control efforts provided by the Invasive
Species Council, offers unique opportunities to manage the significant
threats that infestations of infected ticks and mosquito populations
in New York.
 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.