NY State Senate Bill 2021-S8579

Senate Bill S8579

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to directing the department of environmental conservation to conduct a study to identify potential sites along all highways and thruways in the state for wildlife crossings; repealer

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 03, 2022	committed to rules
May 05, 2022	advanced to third reading
May 04, 2022	2nd report cal.
May 03, 2022	1st report cal.1046
Mar 16, 2022	referred to environmental conservation

Votes

- May 3, 2022 - Environmental Conservation Committee Vote
  S8579
  
  8
  
  Aye
  
  2
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Environmental Conservation Committee Vote: May 3, 2022
      
      aye (8)
      
      Harckham
      
      Hinchey
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kaplan
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Mannion
      
      May
      
      Serrano
      
      nay (2)
      
      Ritchie
      
      Stec
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Palumbo

2021-S8579 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10533
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S4198, A4243

2021-S8579 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the department of environmental conservation to conduct a study to identify potential sites along all highways and thruways in the state for wildlife crossings; directs the department of transportation to create a report on the fiscal impact of such study.

2021-S8579 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8579

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the department of environmental conservation to conduct
a study to identify potential sites along all highways and thruways in
the state for wildlife crossings and directing the department of trans-
portation to create a report on the fiscal impact of such study; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

Conduct a study to identify potential sites along all highways and thru-
ways in the state for wildlife crossings; repealer.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 defines "wildlife crossing" and "human-caused barrier."

Section 2 directs department of environmental conservation to conduct a
study identifying location(s) for wildlife crossings along all highways

and thruways in NYS.

Section 3 instructs department of transportation to utilize DEC study to
identify fiscal impact to New York State.

Section 4 enables DEC and DOT consultation with any state or local
office, agency, or department to fulfill the study to satisfactory
completion.

Section 5 provides DEC/DOT a deliverable timeline of such study at 18
months from passage of this bill to governor, assembly speaker, and
temporary president of the senate.

Section 6 provides an immediate effective date and repeals this new
section after two years.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill aims to study the potential advent of wildlife crossings in
New York State. Roadkill is a serious problem in motor transportation.
Crossing deer and other large mammals can create life-threatening
hazards on roadways. In the United States alone, there are more than a
million automobile accidents per year involving wildlife, racking up
more than $8 billion in medical costs and vehicle repairs annually.

According to some estimates, automobile collisions kill more than a
million animals every day, making them the leading cause of death for
many vertebrate species. Still worse is the way major roads and other
forms of development can subdivide animal populations and fragment their
habitats. Losing access to large areas of their living space makes it
much harder for many woodland creatures to forage for food, find mates
and carry on their genetic legacies.

As people have become more aware of these dangers, one strategy to miti-
gate them has gradually gained acceptance: human made highway crossings
designed just for animals. These can come in many forms, depending on
the species involved and the geographic features of the land. The most
common forms of wildlife crossing are bridges and overpasses, tunnels,
viaducts and culverts. Features of this kind are increasingly included
in highway planning and road improvement schemes. When successfully
implemented, they can greatly reduce the likelihood of collisions,
provide a safe corridor for animal transit and help reduce the ecologi-
cal impact of highways by reconnecting animal habitats.

The concept was first developed in France in the 1950s. It took off in
the Netherlands, where more than 600 crossings have been constructed to
protect badgers, elk and other mammals. The Dutch built the world's
longest animal crossing, the Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo, an overpass
that spans more than 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles), Wildlife crossings can
also be found in Australia, Canada and other parts of the world. These
wildlife crossings reduce fatalities for both animals and humans alike.
New York has the opportunity to be a leader in the United States on this
issue.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S8579 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8579
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN ACT to direct the department of environmental conservation to conduct
   a study to identify potential sites along all highways and thruways in
   the state for wildlife  crossings  and  directing  the  department  of
   transportation  to create a report on the fiscal impact of such study;
   and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
   of
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. For the purposes of this act:
   (a)  "Wildlife crossing" means a habitat structure that that joins two
 or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing  wildlife  to  cross  human-
 caused  barriers  from  one  habitat area to another. Such crossings may
 include but not be limited to underpass tunnels and overpass bridges.
   (b) "Human-caused barrier" means a road, culvert, commercial or  resi-
 dential development or other human-made structure that has the potential
 to affect the natural movement of wildlife across the landscape.
   § 2. The department of environmental conservation is hereby authorized
 and  directed  to  conduct a study to identify potential sites along all
 highways and thruways in the state for wildlife crossings.  The  depart-
 ment  of  environmental  conservation  shall  submit  such  study to the
 department of transportation no later than one year after the  effective
 date of this act. Such study shall examine, at a minimum, the following:
   (a)  Identification of existing highway or thruway crossings that pose
 a risk to successful wildlife migration or that pose a risk to the trav-
 eling public because large animals use the crossing;
   (b) Identification of other  human-caused  barriers,  especially  road
 segments that negatively affect wildlife habitat and movement;
   (c)  Information about the habitat and movement needs of wildlife with
 particular attention to large animals or other species that pose a  risk
 to the traveling public;
   (d)  Information about the habitat quality needed to support and main-
 tain viable populations of wildlife;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD14991-01-2
 S. 8579                             2
 
   (e) Information about how increased movement of species could  benefit
 overused and highly impacted habitat areas;
   (f) Maps that identify locations of:
   (i) existing wildlife crossings; and
   (ii)  potential  sites  for  additional  wildlife crossings based this
 study;
   (g) Economic benefits anticipated from  preserving  wildlife  movement
 patterns,  including  the  potential  impact of reduced wildlife-vehicle
 collisions;
   (h) The feasibility and constructability of wildlife crossing  infras-
 tructure; and
   (i)  Any  additional  information that the department of environmental
 conservation deem necessary and appropriate to carry out the intent  and
 purposes of this act.
   §  3. The department of transportation shall utilize the study submit-
 ted by the department of environmental conservation pursuant to  section
 two  of  this  act  to conduct a report to identify the fiscal impact of
 implementing such study. Such report shall determine,  at  minimum,  the
 following:
   (a) The potential costs and economics of wildlife crossing infrastruc-
 ture, including benefits or other effects on local communities;
   (b)  The value of the project to native large animals and other native
 species;
   (c) Surrounding land-use and ownership and an evaluation of  the  need
 for  conservation easements or other real estate instrument necessary to
 maintain the viability of a proposed wildlife crossing; and
   (d) Any additional information that the department  of  transportation
 deem  necessary  and appropriate to carry out the intent and purposes of
 this act.
   § 4. The department of environmental conservation and  the  department
 of transportation may consult with any state or local office, agency, or
 department and request information from any such entity that is relevant
 and material to the completion of this study and report.
   § 5. No later than 18 months after the effective date of this act, the
 department of environmental conservation and the department of transpor-
 tation  shall  deliver the study pursuant to section two of this act and
 the report made pursuant to section three of this act to  the  governor,
 the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly.
   §  6.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed two years after such effective date.

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