S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4571--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the
   Committee  on  Finance  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to  establishing
   a floating solar incentive and education program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 1885 to read as follows:
   §  1885. FLOATING SOLAR INCENTIVE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. 1. AS USED IN
 THIS SECTION THE TERM "FLOATING SOLAR"  SHALL  MEAN  SOLAR  PHOTOVOLTAIC
 SYSTEMS  MOUNTED ON FLOATING STRUCTURES OR PLATFORMS ON THE SURFACE OF A
 BODY OF WATER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CANALS,  LAKES,  RESERVOIRS,
 AND PONDS.
   2.  THE AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A FLOATING SOLAR INCEN-
 TIVE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM PURSUANT TO STANDARDS AND CRITERIA PROMULGAT-
 ED BY THE  AUTHORITY  WHICH  SHALL  PROVIDE  INFORMATION  AND  RESOURCES
 INCLUDING  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE,  ACCESS  TO  INDUSTRY  STANDARDS,  AND
 FINANCING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AUTHORITY OR  OTHER  PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE
 SECTOR  SOURCES, TO MUNICIPALITIES, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, DESIGN PROFES-
 SIONALS, AND POTENTIAL OWNERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING SOLAR.
   3. THE PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) GRANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLOATING SOLAR  ON  SITES  THAT  ARE
 CONSTRUCTED  ON CANALS, RESERVOIRS, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PONDS, AND
 ANY OTHER ARTIFICIALLY CREATED BODY  OF  WATER  SUITABLE  FOR  SITING  A
 FLOATING SOLAR PROJECT;
   (B)  IDENTIFICATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES FOR SITING FLOAT-
 ING SOLAR PROJECTS THAT PROTECT THE ECOSYSTEMS OF BODIES OF WATER;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09075-02-5
 S. 4571--A                          2
              

 
   (C) MONITORING ANY IMPACTS FLOATING SOLAR MAY HAVE ON  WATER  QUALITY,
 WATER CONSERVATION, AND ALGAE CONTROL; AND
   (D)  ESTABLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
 ABOUT SITING, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE,  AND  AVAILABLE  INCENTIVES  ON
 FLOATING SOLAR.
   4.  THE  AUTHORITY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
 AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, SHALL  PROMULGATE  ALL
 RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.