S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8356
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 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 and the state finance
   law, in relation to enacting the "harmful algal bloom  monitoring  and
   prevention act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "harmful algal bloom monitoring and prevention act".
   § 2. Legislative findings and declarations. The legislature finds that
 the  state  of  New York has a responsibility to maintain the health and
 safety of its abundant clean water resources, upon which  the  residents
 of  New  York state, as well as its many visitors, rely on for drinking,
 agriculture, tourism, recreation, and  their  livelihoods.  Because  the
 waters  of  the  state  are under threat by harmful algal blooms (HABS),
 which are known to be toxic and even fatal to humans,  pets,  and  wild-
 life,  the  state has a responsibility to provide coordinated, statewide
 monitoring, evaluation, prevention and mitigation,  going  beyond  water
 body-specific data collection and isolated mitigation efforts. While the
 causes  of HABS are complex and varied, with a coordinated and standard-
 ized approach to monitoring and evaluation, patterns can more readily be
 identified to isolate the combination of  relevant  causes  specific  to
 different bodies of water across the state and determine the most effec-
 tive  targeted  interventions.  To  address  this threat, the state must
 develop and  maintain  a  comprehensive  state  clearinghouse  to  bring
 together existing and new available statewide cross-sectional and longi-
 tudinal  data  and information on HABS, potential and known causes, best
 practice interventions, expertise, and funding resources. This data  and
 subsequent  report  will enable the state to effectively and efficiently
 administer a central grant program supporting data-driven best practices
 in prevention and mitigation of harmful algal blooms.
   § 3. The environmental conservation law is amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 15-0519 to read as follows:
 § 15-0519. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING AND PREVENTION PROGRAM.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14115-02-4
 S. 8356                             2
 
   1.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS
 SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A.  "HARMFUL  ALGAL  BLOOMS"  SHALL  MEAN  GROWTHS  OF BLOOMS OF ALGAL
 SPECIES PRESENT IN FRESH OR SALT WATER THAT CAN PRODUCE TOXINS THAT  ARE
 HARMFUL  TO  PUBLIC  HEALTH,  THE ECONOMY, OR RECREATIONAL ENJOYMENT, OR
 THAT CAN IMPAIR WATER QUALITY AND THE NATURAL ECOLOGY THEREIN.
   B. "MUNICIPALITY" SHALL MEAN A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, OR VILLAGE.
   C. "WATERS OF THE STATE" MEANS  ALL  WATERWAYS,  OR  BODIES  OF  WATER
 LOCATED WITHIN NEW YORK STATE OR THAT PART OF ANY BODY OF WATER WHICH IS
 ADJACENT  TO  NEW YORK STATE OVER WHICH THE STATE HAS TERRITORIAL JURIS-
 DICTIONS.
   2. COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION CONSOLIDATION AND  ANALYSIS
 REPORT.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO
 DEVELOP  A  PROGRAM  TO  FURTHER  THE   COMPREHENSIVE   AND   CONSISTENT
 COLLECTION,  CONSOLIDATION, ANALYSIS AND META-ANALYSIS OF STATEWIDE DATA
 RELATING TO THE MONITORING, EVALUATION, PREVENTION,  AND  MITIGATION  OF
 HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE GUIDELINES
 FOR  THE SUBMISSION OF EXISTING AND HISTORICAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONI-
 TORING, EVALUATION, MITIGATION, AND PREVENTION DATA AND STRATEGIES  FROM
 RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERIENCE IN
 PEER-REVIEWED  RESEARCH,  GRANTMAKING,  OR  OTHER LIKE ACTIVITIES IN THE
 AREA  OF  WATER  QUALITY  RELATING  TO   THE   MONITORING,   EVALUATION,
 PREVENTION,  AND  MITIGATION OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESEARCH PROGRAMS, CLINICS, LABS, AND PROJECT MANAGE-
 MENT.
   B. THE DATA COLLECTED, CONSOLIDATED, AND  ANALYZED  SHALL  CONSIST  OF
 ELEMENTS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LONGITUDINAL DATA ON THE INCIDENCE
 OF  HARMFUL  ALGAL  BLOOMS,  CONTEXTUAL FACTORS THOUGHT TO BE ASSOCIATED
 WITH THE INCIDENCE OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS SUCH  AS  WATER  TEMPERATURE,
 TURBIDITY,  FLOW  RATE,  SALINITY,  NUTRIENT  LEVELS  FOR PHOSPHORUS AND
 NITROGEN, ACIDITY (PH), DISSOLVED OXYGEN LEVELS, AND RESULTS OF  HARMFUL
 ALGAL BLOOM INTERVENTIONS IN NEW YORK STATE.
   C.  THE DATA COLLECTED, CONSOLIDATED, AND ANALYZED SHALL MEET A STAND-
 ARD THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PRACTICES AND EXPERTISE OF INSTITUTIONS,
 ORGANIZATIONS, OR INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERIENCE IN PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH,
 GRANTMAKING, OR OTHER LIKE ACTIVITIES  IN  THE  AREA  OF  WATER  QUALITY
 RELATING  TO  THE  MONITORING, EVALUATION, PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION OF
 HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS, INCLUDING BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  RESEARCH
 PROGRAMS, CLINICS, LABS, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
   D.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL ANNUALLY PUBLISH AND UPDATE A LIST OF VETTED
 BEST PRACTICE STRATEGIES FOR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING, EVALUATION,
 PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION, WHICH SHALL BE DIFFERENTIATED BY  REGION  OR
 WATER BODY WITH UNIQUE CONFIRMED CAUSAL PATHWAYS FOR THE RELATED HARMFUL
 ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAK TRENDS. SUCH STRATEGIES SHALL BE SUPPORTED BY FIND-
 INGS OF THE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM DATABASE CREATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
 THREE OF THIS SECTION, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL EVALUATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED  TO  STRATEGIES APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
 AGENCY, CERTIFICATION THAT SUCH STRATEGIES MEET OR EXCEED  THE  AMERICAN
 NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR HEALTH EFFECTS OF DRINKING WATER TREATMENT CHEMI-
 CALS  (NSF/ANSI/CAN-60), OR TESTING FOR EFFICACY BY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
 IN HEALTHY WATER SOLUTIONS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBLISH SUCH  LIST  AND
 FINDINGS  SUPPORTING  THE  STRATEGIES  ON  SUCH LIST ON THE DEPARTMENT'S
 WEBSITE.
   E. NO LATER THAN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS  SECTION,
 THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE
 AND MARKETS, SHALL PREPARE A REPORT PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS AND
 S. 8356                             3

 META-ANALYSIS OF THE DATA COLLECTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,  INCLUDING
 FINDINGS  AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING, MAINTAINING, AND IMPROV-
 ING UPON A COORDINATED SYSTEM OF MONITORING, EVALUATION, PREVENTION, AND
 MITIGATION  OF  HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE. THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL:
   I. UPDATE THE REPORT AT LEAST ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS AFTER THE  INITIAL
 COMPLETION OF THE REPORT;
   II. MAKE THE REPORT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE;
   III.  HOLD  AT LEAST SIX REGIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT HEARINGS ON THE DRAFT
 REPORT AND SUBSEQUENT UPDATES TO THE REPORT, INCLUDING THREE MEETINGS IN
 THE UPSTATE REGION AND THREE MEETINGS IN THE DOWNSTATE REGION, AND SHALL
 ALLOW AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS  FOR  THE  SUBMISSION  OF  PUBLIC
 COMMENT;
   IV.  PROVIDE  MEANINGFUL  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  PUBLIC  COMMENT FROM ALL
 SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATIONS THAT LIVE NEAR,  OR  ARE  RELIANT  UPON  FOR
 DRINKING,  RECREATION,  OR  ECONOMIC  ACTIVITY,  THE WATERS OF THE STATE
 INCLUDED IN THE REPORT, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO  INSTITUTIONS  OR
 ORGANIZATIONS  WITH  RELEVANT  EXPERTISE,  CITIZEN  SCIENTISTS, AND LABS
 TESTING WATER QUALITY IN RELATION TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS;
   V. IDENTIFY THE MAGNITUDE OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS ACROSS THE STATE AND
 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON REGULATORY MEASURES AND  OTHER  STATE  OR  LOCAL
 ACTIONS TO MONITOR, EVALUATE, PREVENT, OR MITIGATE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS,
 INCLUDING  EXISTING  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  COORDINATION OF FEDERAL, STATE,
 MUNICIPAL, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS;
   VI. IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES, TECHNOLOGY, AND AVAILABLE FEDERAL, STATE,
 MUNICIPAL, OR PRIVATE FUNDING FOR AND EXISTING  EFFORTS  IN  MONITORING,
 EVALUATING, PREVENTING, AND MITIGATING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS; AND
   VII.  IDENTIFY  THE  CURRENT  NEED IN SPECIFIC BODIES OF WATER FOR THE
 ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAMS OR ORGANIZATIONS TO  FURTHER  THE  MONITORING,
 EVALUATION,  PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, AND THE
 COSTS THEREFOR.
   3. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM DATABASE. A. THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH
 AND  MAINTAIN A WEBSITE PROVIDING PUBLIC ACCESS TO A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM
 DATABASE WHICH SHALL CONTAIN ALL RELEVANT DATA, RESEARCH, AND  REPORTING
 REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   B.  SUCH  DATABASE,  AND  ANALYSIS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE DATA
 THEREIN, SHALL SUPPORT THE COORDINATION OF EFFORTS ACROSS THE  STATE  TO
 MONITOR, EVALUATE, PREVENT, AND MITIGATE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, AND SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   I.  THE  GEOLOCATION  OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS, AND EFFORTS TO
 MONITOR, EVALUATE, PREVENT, AND MITIGATE SUCH OUTBREAKS;
   II. EXISTING RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, OR REPORTS RELATING TO  OUTBREAKS  OF
 HARMFUL  ALGAL  BLOOMS IN THE WATERS OF THE STATE AND THE CAUSES OF SUCH
 OUTBREAKS;
   III. KNOWN OR DEVELOPING  STRATEGIES  AND  BEST  PRACTICES  OF  STATE,
 MUNICIPAL,  AND  NON-GOVERNMENTAL  ORGANIZATIONS THAT MONITOR, EVALUATE,
 PREVENT, OR MITIGATE  HARMFUL  ALGAL  BLOOM  OUTBREAKS,  THE  RESPECTIVE
 WATERS  OF  THE  STATE  IN WHICH SUCH STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES HAVE
 BEEN CONDUCTED, AND THE GEOLOCATIONS OF SUCH WATERS;
   IV. AVAILABLE SOURCES OF FINANCING FOR ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING,  EVALU-
 ATION,  PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION, INCLUDING FEDERAL, STATE, MUNICIPAL,
 AND/OR PRIVATE FUNDING, GRANTS, OR OTHER MONIES; AND
   V. INFORMATION ON INSTITUTIONS WITH EXPERTISE IN PEER-REVIEWED  GRANT-
 MAKING  AND  RESEARCH  IN THE AREA OF WATER QUALITY AND/OR HARMFUL ALGAL
 BLOOMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE NEW YORK  SEA  GRANT  AT  STONY
 BROOK  UNIVERSITY,  THE  NEW  YORK  WATER  RESOURCE INSTITUTE AT CORNELL
 S. 8356                             4
 
 UNIVERSITY, THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN  HEALTHY  WATER  SOLUTIONS,  THE
 BUREAU OF WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION, THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVI-
 RONMENTAL  PROTECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS, COMMU-
 NITY-BASED  NONPROFIT  ORGANIZATIONS  WITH  MISSIONS  THAT  SPECIFICALLY
 INVOLVE MONITORING, EVALUATING, MITIGATING, OR PREVENTING HARMFUL  ALGAL
 BLOOMS,  AND  ANY  OTHER  INSTITUTION  OR  ORGANIZATION  PROVIDING  DATA
 COMPILED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, AND THE CONTACT INFORMATION, RELEVANT
 RESEARCH PROGRAMS, CLINICS, LABS, STAFF, AND PUBLISHED RESEARCH OF  SUCH
 INSTITUTIONS.
   4.  RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND
 REGULATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT  AND  COORDINATE
 EFFORTS BY FEDERAL, STATE, MUNICIPAL, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
 TO:
   A.  CONSISTENTLY  MONITOR AND EVALUATE WATERS OF THE STATE THAT DO NOT
 CONTAIN HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS FOR THE PURPOSES OF COLLECTING WATER QUALI-
 TY DATA;
   B. LIMIT AND ELIMINATE THE CAUSES OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS;
   C. MONITOR AND MITIGATE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM OUTBREAKS;
   D. IDENTIFY SOURCES OF FINANCING  TO  ACHIEVE  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION EQUITABLY; AND
   E.  ESTABLISH  AND SUPPORT NEW AND EXISTING PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
 RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH OF WATERS OF THE STATE THAT HAVE NOT  IMPLEMENTED
 STRATEGIES  TO  MONITOR,  EVALUATE,  PREVENT,  OR MITIGATE HARMFUL ALGAL
 BLOOM OUTBREAKS.
   5. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM GRANT PROGRAM. A. THE COMMISSIONER, IN  CONSUL-
 TATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS, THE COMMISSION-
 ER  OF  HEALTH, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPO-
 RATION, SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT  OF
 A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM GRANT PROGRAM WHICH SHALL PROVIDE FUNDING TO MUNI-
 CIPALITIES  AND INTERMUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF HARM-
 FUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING, EVALUATION, PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION STRA-
 TEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES.
   B. THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  A  OF
 THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  REQUIRE  THAT APPLICANTS FOR THE HARMFUL ALGAL
 BLOOM GRANT PROGRAM CONDUCT AND SUBMIT A STUDY, AS PART OF THEIR  APPLI-
 CATION, ASSESSING THE MOST APPROPRIATE MITIGATION AND PREVENTION STRATE-
 GIES  FOR  RELEVANT  WATERS OF THE STATE AND BEST PRACTICES THEREFOR, AS
 INFORMED BY THE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM DATABASE CREATED PURSUANT TO  SUBDI-
 VISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
   C. IN DETERMINING WHICH APPLICANTS SHALL BE AWARDED GRANTS PURSUANT TO
 THIS  SUBDIVISION,  FIRST  PREFERENCE  SHALL  BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO
 PROPOSE STRATEGIES THAT INCORPORATE PRINCIPLES OF LEAST HARM AND  GREAT-
 EST  SAFETY TO APPLICATORS, THE PUBLIC, AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND UTILIZE
 PASSIVE OR NON-CHEMICAL PHYSICAL CONTROLS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   I. AERATION;
   II. HYDROLOGICAL MANIPULATIONS;
   III. MECHANICAL MIXING;
   IV. RESERVOIR DRAWDOWN OR DESICCATION;
   V. SURFACE SKIMMING;
   VI. ULTRASOUND; OR
   VII. OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AS APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
   D. IN DETERMINING WHICH APPLICANTS SHALL BE AWARDED GRANTS PURSUANT TO
 THIS SUBDIVISION, SECOND PREFERENCE SHALL BE  GIVEN  TO  APPLICANTS  WHO
 DEMONSTRATE  EXPERTISE WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TREATING WATER BODIES IN
 THE UNITED STATES LARGER THAN ONE THOUSAND ACRES,  WITH  PROVEN  SUCCESS
 USING ACCEPTED STRATEGIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO STRATEGIES THAT:
 S. 8356                             5
 
   I. ARE AIMED AT REDUCING CYANOTOXINS IN THE WATER TO LESS THAN HARMFUL
 LEVELS;
   II. EMPLOY READY-TO-USE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS MEANS TESTED, REPRODUCIBLE,
 AND  GENERALIZABLE,  WITHOUT  LIMITATION  OF  SIZE OR SHAPE OF THE WATER
 BODY;
   III. EMPLOY TECHNOLOGY WHICH ALLOWS FOR  APPLICATION  UNDER  EMERGENCY
 SITUATIONS AND WITHIN LESS THAN NINETY-SIX HOURS FROM APPROVAL;
   IV.  UTILIZE  PRODUCTS THAT ARE MODULAR AND CAN BE USED AS A PREVENTA-
 TIVE MEASURE;
   V. UTILIZE PRODUCTS THAT ARE QUICK AND EASY TO APPLY AND ARE GENERALLY
 RECOGNIZED AS SAFE TO THE APPLICATOR, PUBLIC, AND ENVIRONMENT;
   VI. UTILIZE PRODUCTS THAT FLOAT ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND DO NOT
 SINK IMMEDIATELY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WATER COLUMN;
   VII. UTILIZE PRODUCTS THAT ARE  DISTRIBUTED  AUTONOMOUSLY  ACROSS  THE
 WATER BODY AFTER A LOCALIZED APPLICATION;
   VIII.  UTILIZE  PRODUCTS  WITH  A  TIME-RELEASE MECHANISM THAT APPLIES
 CONSTANT AND PROLONGED OXIDATIVE STRESS OF THE  CYANOBACTERIA  TRIGGERED
 BY  THE  PROGRAMMED  CELL  DEATH  SIGNALING  CASCADE, RESULTING IN THEIR
 COLLAPSE; AND
   IX. UTILIZE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES.
   E. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE MONIES AVAILABLE FROM THE HARMFUL ALGAL
 BLOOM MONITORING AND PREVENTION FUND, AS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION
 NINETY-NINE-RR OF THE STATE FINANCE  LAW,  WITHIN  AMOUNTS  APPROPRIATED
 THEREFOR,  FOR THE PURPOSES OF AWARDING GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES, INTER-
 MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS, OR ACADEMIC  INSTI-
 TUTIONS  FOR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING, EVALUATION, PREVENTION, AND
 MITIGATION STRATEGIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 4. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-rr to
 read as follows:
   § 99-RR. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING AND PREVENTION FUND. 1.  THERE
 IS  HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER AND
 COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN  AS  THE
 "HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING AND PREVENTION FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE COMPTROLLER
 AND ALL OTHER MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM
 THE  GENERAL  FUND  OR ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW. NOTHING
 CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS,
 GIFTS, OR BEQUESTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH  FUND  AND  DEPOSITING  THEM
 INTO SUCH FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3.  MONEYS  SHALL  BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF
 THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE.
   4. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSIONER OF  ENVI-
 RONMENTAL  CONSERVATION  FOR  THE  HARMFUL  ALGAL  BLOOM  MONITORING AND
 PREVENTION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15-0519 OF THE  ENVI-
 RONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW.
   §  5.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth 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.