BILL NUMBER: S3004

SPONSOR: FUNKE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
protecting newly acquired state land

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would add one new full time equivalent forest ranger position
for every thirty thousand acres of land that is acquired

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 3-0107 of the environmental conservation law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 3

 
JUSTIFICATION:

              

In order to ensure Forest Rangers are capable of fulfilling the respon-
sibilities required by their position, which were expanded in 2006 when
their status changed to "police officer," it is critical to create
legislation which mandates the amount of Forest Rangers required, based
on the number of acres within the jurisdiction of New York State Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation. Over the span of 45 years the DEC
has acquired approximately 1.5 million additional acres of land, for
current total of 4.866 million acres, while simultaneously decreasing
the number of Forest Rangers employed to protect these lands. Moving
forward, requiring the addition of one new Ranger per 30,000 acres of
land that comes under the jurisdiction of the department would allow
these lands to be protected and preserved in a manner that is consistent
with DEC and public expectations. It is the purpose of this act to
ensure that the Forest Rangers are granted the appropriate resources
necessary to meet their expanded responsibilities, and protect environ-
mentally preserved land within the state's jurisdiction.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S7185 of 2016; passed the Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

TBD.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect in one hundred eighty days.