NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7622A

Senate Bill S7622A

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires solar facilities to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that may be accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergency

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to energy and telecommunications
Sep 15, 2023	print number 7622a
Sep 15, 2023	amend (t) and recommit to rules
Aug 02, 2023	referred to rules

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2023-S7622 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7972
Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §66-w, Pub Serv L

2023-S7622 - Summary

Requires solar facilities to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that may be accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergency.

2023-S7622 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7622

SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring solar
farms to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that may be
accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergen-
cy

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would require solar farms to post safety data sheets in visi-
ble areas for emergency purposes.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the public service law by adding a new section, 66w.
First, this section provides definitions for "solar farm" as well as
"safety data sheet". The second part requires that safety data sheets be
conspicuously posted in areas that emergency responders would likely
access in the case of a fire or other emergency.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Lithium-ion batteries are known to cause explosive accidents. When
ignited, they create an extreme amount of fire because of "thermal runa-
way". These fires also result in the release of flammable gas, which can
make the fires worse and more difficult to put out.

In these situations, it is crucial for first responders to have the
necessary tools to fight these unusual, but increasingly common, catas-
trophes. At a recent lithium-ion battery fire in Chaumont, it took emer-
gency responders over six hours to obtain the necessary information to
fight the fire. Because of the delay, the blaze spread and let out many
gasses into the environment. Questions are still lingering about water
and air quality in the area.

This bill would require safety data sheets (SDS) to be posted conspicu-
ously on solar farms. In case there is an emergency, these SDS documents
would inform emergency responders on how to fight the fire effectively.
This bill would also require these sheets to be posted in a visible area
for emergency responders; this would stop what happened in Chaumont from
happening again. While the issue of emergency response to lithium-ion
battery fires is complex, this bill presents a simple step to making
responses to these events more efficient.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.

2023-S7622 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7622
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              August 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. WALCZYK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to  requiring  solar
   farms  to  conspicuously  post safety data sheets in areas that may be
   accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other  emer-
   gency

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
 66-w to read as follows:
   §  66-W.  SOLAR FARM SAFETY.  1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
 FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "SOLAR FARM" MEANS AN ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITY, AS DEFINED  BY
 SECTION  FIVE  HUNDRED  SEVENTY-FIVE-A  OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW, OR
 PORTION THEREOF, THAT COLLECTS, CONVERTS, OR STORES SOLAR ENERGY FOR THE
 GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY WITH THE USE OF SOLAR THERMAL AND/OR PHOTOVOL-
 TAIC TECHNOLOGIES.
   (B) "SAFETY DATA SHEET" MEANS THE DOCUMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION  AND
 INSTRUCTIONS  FOR SAFE USE AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTIC-
 ULAR CHEMICALS AND MATERIALS THAT IS APPROVED  BY  THE  FEDERAL  OCCUPA-
 TIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
   2.  EVERY  SOLAR  FARM  IN  THE STATE SHALL HAVE THE SAFETY DATA SHEET
 CONSPICUOUSLY POSTED IN ANY AREA ON SUCH SOLAR FARM THAT WOULD LIKELY BE
 ACCESSED BY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE CASE OF A FIRE OR OTHER EMERGEN-
 CY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11973-01-3

2023-S7622A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7972
Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §66-w, Pub Serv L

2023-S7622A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires solar facilities to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that may be accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergency.

2023-S7622A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7622A                  Revised 9/15/2023

SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring solar
facilities to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that may be
accessed by emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergen-
cy

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would require solar farms to post safety data sheets in visi-
ble areas for emergency purposes.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the public service law by adding a new section, 66w.
First, this section provides definitions for "solar farm" as well as
"safety data sheet". The second part requires that safety data sheets be
conspicuously posted in areas that emergency responders would likely
access in the case of a fire or other emergency.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Lithium-ion batteries are known to cause explosive accidents. When
ignited, they create an extreme amount of fire because of "thermal runa-
way". These fires also result in the release of flammable gas, which can
make the fires worse and more difficult to put out.

In these situations, it is crucial for first responders to have the
necessary tools to fight these unusual, but increasingly common, catas-
trophes. At a recent lithium-ion battery fire in Chaumont, it took emer-
gency responders over six hours to obtain the necessary information to
fight the fire. Because of the delay, the blaze spread and let out many
gasses into the environment. Questions are still lingering about water
and air quality in the area.

This bill would require safety data sheets (SDS) to be posted conspicu-
ously on solar facilities. In case there is an emergency, these SDS
documents would inform emergency responders on how to fight the fire
effectively. This bill would also require these sheets to be posted in a
visible area for emergency responders; this would stop what happened in
Chaumont from happening again. While the issue of emergency response to
lithium-ion battery fires is complex, this bill presents a simple step
to making responses to these events more efficient.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.

2023-S7622A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7622--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              August 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. WALCZYK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Rules  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring solar
   facilities to conspicuously post safety data sheets in areas that  may
   be  accessed  by  emergency  responders in the case of a fire or other
   emergency
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
 66-w to read as follows:
   § 66-W. SOLAR FACILITY SAFETY.  1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,
 THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "SOLAR FACILITY" MEANS AN ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITY, AS DEFINED
 BY  SECTION FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE-A OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW, OR
 PORTION THEREOF, THAT COLLECTS, CONVERTS, OR STORES SOLAR ENERGY FOR THE
 GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY WITH THE USE OF SOLAR THERMAL AND/OR PHOTOVOL-
 TAIC TECHNOLOGIES.
   (B) "SAFETY DATA SHEET" MEANS THE DOCUMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION  AND
 INSTRUCTIONS  FOR SAFE USE AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTIC-
 ULAR CHEMICALS AND MATERIALS THAT IS APPROVED  BY  THE  FEDERAL  OCCUPA-
 TIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
   2.  EVERY SOLAR FACILITY IN THE STATE SHALL HAVE THE SAFETY DATA SHEET
 CONSPICUOUSLY POSTED IN ANY AREA ON SUCH SOLAR FACILITY THAT WOULD LIKE-
 LY BE ACCESSED BY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE CASE OF A  FIRE  OR  OTHER
 EMERGENCY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11973-02-3

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