§ 17-1001. Legislative findings and declarations.

The legislature finds and declares that the lands and waters of New
York state constitute an irreplaceable resource upon which is founded
the well-being of public health, economic vitality and the state's
environment; that these resources may be contaminated by spills and
leaks of petroleum from active and abandoned petroleum bulk storage
facilities; that once contaminated the quality of these resources cannot
be completely restored to their original state; and that contamination
of these resources must be prevented through improved safeguards in
storage and handling.

The legislature declares these spills and leaks to be a threat to the
public welfare of the state and hereby exercises the power of the state
to prevent these spills and leaks from occurring through the
establishment of a state petroleum bulk storage code for new and
substantially modified facilities.