BILL NUMBER: S9765

SPONSOR: LANZA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend chapter 306 of the laws of 2011 authorizing owners of
residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in the borough
of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their property, in
relation to the effectiveness thereof

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a general residential fire break permit for the borough of
Staten Island, city of New York to allow the owner of residential real
property to cut and remove phragmites.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends Section 3 of chapter 306 of the laws of 2011 authoriz-
ing owners of residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in
the borough of Staten island to cut and remove reeds from their proper-
ty, as amended by chapter 299 of the laws of 2023.
              

Section 2. Provides for an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Every year on Staten Island there are series of dangerous brushfires.
Many areas on Staten Island are prone to brushfires because they are
thick with an invasive, nonnative species of weed - phragmites communis.
Phragmites are reeds and combustible plants that commonly grow seven
feet tall and often turn into tinderboxes especially during the spring
and fall seasons. They have been the proven source ot numerous brush
fires which often escalate and threaten surrounding properties. Accord-
ing to information provided by the New York City Fire Department, in the
past 15 plus years there have been over 7,400 reported brush fires on
Staten Island with close. to 200 of them being "all hands on" requiring
all fire houses on the Island to send assistance.

This legislation extends chapter 266 of the laws of 2022 for another
year. It allows a residential property owner in a high-risk brush fire
area in the borough of Staten Island to obtain a no-cost permit to cut
down these invasive combustible reeds thereby reducing the life-threat-
ening pharagmite fires that not only destroy property and homes but put
our first responders at risk as they battle these blazes. The no-cost
permits can be obtained via telephone or in person through the Staten
Island borough president's office.  Furthermore, information regarding
the availability of the residential fire break permits can be found on
the Department of Environmental Conservation website.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023: Chapter 299

2022: Chapter 266

2021: Chapter 115

2020: Chapter 58 (Inbudget)
2019: Chapter 393

2018: Chapter 144

2017: Chapter 108

2016: Chapter 206

2015: Chapter 245

2014: Chapter 267

2012: Chapter 34

2011: Chapter 306

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed December 31, 2025.