§ 2-a. Further declaration of purpose and findings relating to the
protection of the people in the event of nuclear attack and recovery and
rehabilitation after attack. The legislature hereby finds and declares
that the aggressive forces of communism are employing threats of nuclear
attack to achieve their plan and purpose of world domination and to
confound the aspirations of free people everywhere. It is increasingly
apparent that effective fallout protection as an integral part of a
strong civil defense is essential to the nation's military defense, to
our negotiating strength, to the deterrence of nuclear aggression and to
our resistance to nuclear blackmail. In the event of attack, fallout
protection and a comprehensive civil defense program are essential to
minimize injury and loss of life and to make possible the recovery of
the people, the restoration and rehabilitation of the state's economy
and the preservation of the spiritual, cultural and political heritage
of our nation.

The entire population of the state is now exposed and vulnerable to
death or disability from any nuclear attack that might be launched
against us. While the radioactive fallout which follows the explosion of
nuclear weapons would create the most widespread danger faced by our
population in the event of a nuclear attack, the means for protecting
the state's population from such fallout are known and are feasible.

In furtherance of the national goal declared by the president of the
United States to reach for fallout protection for every American as
rapidly as possible and as an integral part of the state's comprehensive
civil defense program, a major objective of the state is to have for
each person in the state of New York fallout protection ready and
adequate for survival, which will make possible recovery and
rehabilitation in the event of nuclear attack.

This objective can be achieved only by a cooperative effort which
mobilizes the resources of individuals, business, labor, agriculture and
other private groups and government at every level--federal, state and
local. All levels of government must recognize and accept their mutual
obligations to plan, encourage and assist the orderly establishment of
adequate fallout shelters, readily accessible to all the people, but the
effectiveness of the joint effort, public and private, to protect
against the dangers of nuclear attack will depend in large measure on
the success and vigor with which local communities and families organize
for their survival.

The state must give leadership and direction in this important task of
establishing a strong civil defense and achieving fallout protection for
each person in the state. To this end the legislature has established a
broad coordinated civil defense program.

A primary consideration in this program for survival and recovery of
our state following a nuclear attack is the necessity for preservation
of our young people. Therefore, as an essential part of the coordinated
civil defense effort in each community, the authorities of public and
private schools, colleges and universities should provide fallout
protection in or near their buildings and the state should encourage and
assist financially through state civil defense aid the development of
such fallout protection. The state, by fostering fallout protection at
the schools, colleges and universities scattered over the length and
breadth of the state in every community, will not only aid in providing
protection for our young people but will also thereby provide a
direction and an awareness of the need for public and private action in
support of the civil defense effort.

In addition, as a part of this program, the state should

--encourage and assist private individuals to provide adequate shelter
protection for their families, either singly or in groups;

--encourage and foster the construction of shelters in all
publicly-assisted housing;

--encourage and assist landlords and employers to provide shelter
protection for their tenants and employees;

--encourage local offlcials and community leaders, within the
framework of a coordinated civil defense plan, to take positive steps to
promote and assist the development of shelter protection by the citizens
individually and collectively in each locality; and

--construct and install shelters on state-owned property to provide
protection for state workers and other occupants.

Furthermore, the state must cooperatively supplement the program being
provided and developed by the federal government and the state must
share with the federal government the responsibility of insuring that
all protective measures adopted reflect the latest techniques and
developments available.

At all times the objectives and planning of civil defense should be
directed to the survival not only of the people of the state but of
their way of life. Intensive efforts must be made to establish the means
and methods which will, in the event of nuclear attack, make possible
the recovery of the people and the rehabilitation of the economic and
social life of the state following any such attack.