NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7854

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to environmental conservation

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Add §15-0519, En Con L

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the New York state cooperative watershed management program within the department of environmental conservation under which watershed networks may apply for grants for watershed network development and watershed network professionalization, subject to appropriation of funds from the legislature.

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7854

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
establishing the New York state cooperative watershed management program

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a funding mechanism for watershed organizations that will
help to develop and professionalize watershed networks

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 defines the component pieces of the New York state cooperative
watershed management program, outlines the criteria for grant applica-
tions for watershed network development or professionalization, and
includes where networks may be housed within a region

Section 2 establishes the effective date of the bill

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill proposes the creation of the New York State Cooperative
Watershed Management Program, aimed at addressing water and watershed
management needs by providing funding to diverse stakeholder groups
known as watershed networks through a competitive grant application
process. Many of the state's watersheds are represented by a variety of
stakeholders; many of these groups have formed alliances or other
watershed-based networks on formal and informal bases to coordinate
their advocacy. This bill would provide support for more groups to do so
through watershed networks. These networks, composed of various entities
including but not limited to private property owners, non-profit organ-
izations, municipalities, and tribal nations, would work collaboratively
to develop local or regional solutions.  Development grants would focus
on organizational activities like bylaws creation and stakeholder
outreach, while professionalization grants support hiring professional
staff and implementing management plans. The bill aims to foster
sustainable, non-regulatory, and consensus-based networks that promote
effective water resource management, emphasizing the importance of
stakeholder engagement and eligibility criteria to ensure responsible
use of grant funds.

The purpose of this legislation is to empower local communities in New
York to actively participate in managing their water resources through
cooperative efforts. By supporting the formation and enhancement of
watershed networks, the state aims to encourage collaboration among
diverse stakeholders, ensuring a holistic approach to address water and
watershed challenges. The competitive grant program, funded through
general appropriations, seeks to promote transparency and accountabil-
ity, requiring applicants to demonstrate stakeholder buy-in and outlin-
ing specific criteria for grant approval. This bill envisions communi-
ty-driven solutions to water and watershed management issues,
contributing to the overall environmental health and sustainability of
the state.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Subject to approprations.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Sixtieth day after becoming law

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7854
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 3, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
   establishing  the  New  York  state  cooperative  watershed management
   program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
 new section 15-0519 to read as follows:
 § 15-0519. COOPERATIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
   1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A "NEW YORK STATE
 COOPERATIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM" FOR THE PURPOSE  OF  PROVIDING
 FUNDING  TO  WATERSHED  NETWORKS TO ENCOURAGE SUCH WATERSHED NETWORKS TO
 FORM LOCAL OR REGIONAL SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THEIR  WATER  AND  WATERSHED
 MANAGEMENT NEEDS.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE
 FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "PROGRAM"  MEANS THE NEW YORK STATE COOPERATIVE WATERSHED MANAGE-
 MENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   (B)  "WATERSHED  NETWORK"  MEANS  A  SELF-SUSTAINING,  NON-REGULATORY,
 CONSENSUS-BASED  NETWORK  THAT  IS COMPOSED OF A DIVERSE ARRAY OF STAKE-
 HOLDERS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE BUT SHALL NOT BE  LIMITED  TO,  LAKE  ASSOCI-
 ATIONS  AND  OTHER  WATERSHED-RELATED  NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICI-
 PALITIES, FEDERAL, STATE, OR  LOCAL  AGENCIES,  AND  TRIBAL  NATIONS.  A
 "WATERSHED  NETWORK"  MAY  BE SPECIFIC TO A DEFINED WATERSHED DEVOTED TO
 ONE WATER BODY OR MAY REPRESENT AN ARRAY OF SUCH GROUPS  WORKING  ACROSS
 CONNECTED  WATERSHEDS  IN  A REGION. A "WATERSHED NETWORK" MAY BE HOUSED
 WITHIN A WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COUNCIL, A LAKE ASSOCIATION,  INTERMUNICI-
 PAL  BODY,  OR  A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, BUT SHALL REPRESENT A VARIETY OF
 STAKEHOLDERS IN SUCH WATERSHED OR REGION.
   (C) "WATERSHED NETWORK DEVELOPMENT"  MEANS  ACTIVITIES  TO  DEVELOP  A
 WATERSHED  NETWORK, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DEVELOPMENT OF BYLAWS
 OR MISSION STATEMENTS, PERFORMING STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH, PURSUING  RECOG-
 NITION AS A NONPROFIT, OR OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD13606-02-3
 S. 7854                             2
 
   (D)   "WATERSHED  NETWORK  PROFESSIONALIZATION"  MEANS  ACTIVITIES  TO
 PROFESSIONALIZE A WATERSHED NETWORK,  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,
 HIRING  PROFESSIONAL  STAFF  FOR  WATERSHED MANAGEMENT OR GRANT WRITING,
 DEVELOPING WATERSHED RESTORATION PLANS, OR DESIGNING  WATERSHED  MANAGE-
 MENT PROJECTS.
   3.  (A) THE PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP A PROCESS WHEREBY WATERSHED NETWORKS
 MAY APPLY TO THE PROGRAM FOR GRANTS FOR WATERSHED NETWORK DEVELOPMENT OR
 WATERSHED NETWORK PROFESSIONALIZATION.
   (B) THE PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR A COMPETITIVE AWARD PROCESS
 FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF GRANT  APPLICATIONS  FROM  WATERSHED  NETWORKS
 PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH  (A)  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING FOR APPROVAL  OF  A  GRANT
 APPLICATION:
   (I)  THE APPLICANT WATERSHED NETWORK SHALL BE COMPRISED OF TWO OR MORE
 PUBLIC OR PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS; AND
   (II) THE APPLICANT  WATERSHED  NETWORK  HAS  DEMONSTRATED  STAKEHOLDER
 BUY-IN TO THE WATERSHED NETWORK DEVELOPMENT OR WATERSHED NETWORK PROFES-
 SIONALIZATION  PLAN  BY  SUBMITTING  A COMPLETE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR SUCH
 PLAN, AND BY SUBMITTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM SUCH STAKEHOLDERS.
   4. (A) A WATERSHED NETWORK SELECTED FOR A WATERSHED  NETWORK  DEVELOP-
 MENT  GRANT  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION SHALL BE AWARDED A GRANT NOT TO
 EXCEED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE  SAME  WATERSHED  NETWORK  SHALL  BE
 ELIGIBLE  TO  RECEIVE  A WATERSHED NETWORK DEVELOPMENT GRANT PURSUANT TO
 THIS SECTION NO MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
   (B) A WATERSHED NETWORK SELECTED FOR A WATERSHED NETWORK PROFESSIONAL-
 IZATION GRANT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE AWARDED A GRANT  NOT  TO
 EXCEED  FORTY  THOUSAND  DOLLARS.  THE  SAME  WATERSHED NETWORK SHALL BE
 ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A WATERSHED NETWORK PROFESSIONALIZATION GRANT PURSU-
 ANT TO THIS SECTION ANNUALLY FOR UP TO THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
   (C) A WATERSHED NETWORK SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE  A  WATERSHED
 NETWORK  DEVELOPMENT  GRANT AND A WATERSHED PROFESSIONALIZATION GRANT IN
 THE SAME YEAR.
   5. FUNDS AWARDED BY THE PROGRAM PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE
 SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION THEREFOR BY THE LEGISLATURE.
   §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S7854

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7854

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Rachel May

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S7854 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments