News from the
New York State Assembly Committee on
Environmental Conservation
Sheldon Silver, Speaker • Thomas P. DiNapoli, Chair • December 2005

Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli
Thomas P. DiNapoli
Chair, Assembly Committee on
Environmental Conservation

In This Issue . . .

All Five Environmental Super Bills Pass The Assembly

New Legislation Would Help New Yorkers Create a Safe and Sustainable Future

DiNapoli’s Bigger Better Bottle Bill Passes Assembly

Protecting the Environment and Boosting the Economy Through Pollution Prevention

VAPOR INTRUSION:
An Emerging Public Health Concern

Protecting School Children Through the Use of Green Cleaning Products

2005 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Assembly Earth Day Package

Significant Enacted EnCon Bills

Help us update our records! See the last page of this report to learn how you can help us bring our mailing list up-to-date.

Dear Friend:

This year the New York State Assembly continued to be a strong voice to protect our state’s fragile environment. This year’s budget – passed on time – had several victories, including enacting a permanent funding increase for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee is committed to ensuring that our land, air and water are a priority, which is why we passed all five of the Green Panel’s “Super Bills.”

One issue that I am pleased was finally resolved in the budget was guaranteeing multi-year funding for brownfield projects authorized under the Brownfield Clean-up and Superfund Refinancing law. These funds will make $30 million available to local communities for developing strategies to clean up and reuse brownfields, as well as for grants to assist communities in participating in the redevelopment of brownfields.

Thanks to the help of so many committed environmentalists and the strength of my Assembly colleagues, we took a giant step forward with the Assembly’s passage of the “Bigger Better Bottle Bill.” If the Senate joins us in passing the bill, it would expand the current “bottle bill” law to cover additional beverage containers – such as water, iced tea, juices, and sport drinks. The bill would also recapture unclaimed deposits for the state to distribute regionally through the EPF, helping local governments address their environmental needs. I urge you to call or write your local Assemblymember and Senator and tell them you support this important piece of legislation and want to see it enacted into law in 2006.

The Committee also sheparded two new laws that will help New York businesses improve their bottom line and protect the environment. One grants DEC the power to implement comprehensive pollution prevention initiatives and the other will establish a Small Business Prevention and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program.

Since session concluded, I have been traveling around this beautiful state and conducting hearings on important environmental issues. Earlier this year we continued our series of hearings on vapor intrusion in Ithaca and Hopewell Junction, gathering input from federal and state agencies, local governments, concerned groups and citizens that have been affected by this serious problem. In March of 2005, the Committee issued a preliminary report and we are in the process of finalizing a report with our comprehensive findings.

We also traveled to the Adirondacks and held a hearing on water quality. We heard from people on all sides of the issue and will use their testimony in developing legislation in the upcoming session. Our most recent hearing was on Long Island and centered on ocean and shoreline health. We heard testimony from diverse individuals and organizations that will be extremely helpful as we address these issues in the future.

I need your help on one important project for the committee. We are updating the Environmental Conservation Committee mailing list. Please help us by providing the most current information on you and anyone else you think should be receiving these environmental newsletters and we will update our files.

I continue to be in awe of the natural beauty of New York. Being Chairman of the Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation is a privilege that I do not take lightly. Protecting our natural resources, making sure our families’ lives are not compromised by environmental hazards and ensuring that future generations will be able to enjoy the vast wonders of New York are all important to me.

We have made much progress in these last few years. But I know as well as you do that we still have many more critical issues that must be addressed. I look forward to working with you on these important issues and I value your input and ideas.

Sincerely,
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All Five Environmental Super Bills Pass The Assembly

In 2005, for the first time ever, five bills that were pending before the New York State Legislature were designated “Super Bills” by the Green Panel, an invited group of state environmental leaders. According to the Green Panel, these legislative proposals address particularly urgent or timely environmental issues facing New Yorkers.

“This new ‘Super Bill’ designation served to focus the Legislature’s attention on specific environmental initiatives, and resulted in Assembly passage of all five bills,” said Assemblyman DiNapoli.

As the prime-sponsor of four of the five Super Bills and a co-sponsor of the fifth, Assemblyman DiNapoli worked hard to ensure Assembly passage of all five measures. But while the Assembly passed all five measures, the Senate failed to bring any of the bills to the floor for a vote despite strong bi-partisan support for several of the bills.

The five Super Bills were:

  • Community Preservation Act (A.6450A, DiNapoli/S.3153, Marcellino): Authorizes cities and towns to establish a small real estate transfer fee with revenues earmarked for the protection of natural areas, farmland, and historic landmarks

  • Wetland Protection (A.2048, DiNapoli/S.2081, Marcellino): Gives New York State the authority to regulate and protect freshwater wetlands under 12.4 acres in size

  • Carbon Cap for New York’s Power Plants (A.4459, DiNapoli/S.2730, Marcellino): Cuts emissions of carbon dioxide from the state’s fossil fuel power plants, the largest individual sources of global warming pollution

  • Bigger Better Bottle Bill (A.2517B, DiNapoli/S.1290B, LaValle): Expands the state’s existing bottle deposit law to apply to bottled waters, juices, and other non-carbonated beverages that are not currently redeemable, and reclaims for environmental purposes all unclaimed nickel deposits

  • Burn Barrel Ban (A.3073, Koon/S.2961, Maziarz): Bans the backyard burning of garbage, the largest source of dioxin and other potentially toxic and cancer-causing chemicals in rural parts of the state




New Legislation Would Help New Yorkers Create a Safe and Sustainable Future

photo Senator Marcellino and Assemblyman DiNapoli held a press conference earlier this year with Karen Joy Miller from the Huntington Breast Cancer Coalition and Laura Weinberg from the Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition to discuss the proactive approach to these new pieces of legislation.
Assemblyman DiNapoli introduced two new bills this session that would move New York toward a more proactive approach to protecting public health and the environment.

The goal of the “New York State Public Health Protection Act”, (A.7256/S.4545) is to avoid the mistakes of the past and encourage government decision makers to choose the safest, most sustainable alternative when taking action. The bill would establish that, when it comes to public health and the environment, government should not have to prove harm “beyond a reasonable doubt” before acting to reduce exposure or conserve resources. Instead, government should act on early warnings to create and choose alternative, more sustainable solutions.

The goal of the “New York State Safe and Sustainable Procurement Act”, (A.7257/S.4544) is to foster innovation in the private sector and harness the energy of the market to create and produce green products that perform better and cost less than currently available alternatives. The bill would require state and local agencies to buy clean and sustainable products and services. At a minimum, all products and services would have to avoid using toxic chemicals identified as priority substances of concern and meet federal recycled content and energy efficiency requirements. The bill also establishes seven criteria to ensure that procurement decisions protect public health and the environment, prevent pollution, and are participatory and transparent.

Grants would also be made available to small businesses, nonprofit organizations and preferred sources for the development, manufacture or provision of safe and sustainable products and services.

The intent of both bills, which are sponsored by Senator Carl Marcellino in the Senate, is to use the power of state policy and procurement to create and maintain a healthy environment and vibrant economy.




DiNapoli’s Bigger Better Bottle Bill Passes Assembly

photo Assemblyman DiNapoli debating the “Bigger Better Bottle Bill” on the floor of the Assembly.
“Currently the bottlers and distributors enjoy a five-cent windfall for each container that is not returned,” DiNapoli said. “This bill would return those unclaimed deposits, which currently total an estimated $87 million annually, to the people of the state for environmental purposes. With the expansion of the bottle bill, this could mean as much as $179 million in new funding for environmental purposes.”
For the first time since the original bottle bill was signed into law, more than two decades ago, significant expansion and improvement of the law was passed by the New York State Assembly this year. The “Bigger Better Bottle Bill” (A.2517B), sponsored by Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, would expand the current bottle bill to cover additional beverage containers – such as water, iced tea, juices, sports drinks. Liquor, wine, infant formula, milk, and juice boxes would be exempt from this bill.

“When the original bill was enacted, there was a limited market for bottled water, juices, iced teas, and sports drinks. These containers now make up more than 20% of beverage sales and nearly two-thirds of the container litter along New York’s shorelines and roadways. It’s time for them to be included in this law which has done so much to clear the landscape and our waterways of litter and dramatically reduce the volume of garbage,” said DiNapoli, who chairs the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee.

The bill provides for unclaimed deposits to be turned back to the state instead of being kept by bottlers and distributors. The recaptured funds would be deposited into the state’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and distributed regionally to help local governments address their pressing environmental needs.

Working with a variety of stakeholders, DiNapoli amended the bill prior to passage by the Assembly. The new amendments included provisions that increase the handling fee received by retailers from two cents to three and a half cents; enhance enforcement by increasing penalties and authorizing independent enforcement action by the Attorney General and local law enforcement; and authorize grants through the EPF for establishing redemption centers, obtaining reverse vending machines and purchasing other related equipment. With these and other amendments, the already impressive base of support for the Bigger Better Bottle Bill expanded even further.

The Senate has yet to act on the bill.




Protecting the Environment and Boosting the Economy Through Pollution Prevention

Both houses of the Legislature have passed a bill that will help New York businesses improve their bottom line and protect the environment through the adoption of safer, more efficient production methods, work practices, and products. The legislation, (A.6852-C/S.2828-D), sponsored by Assemblyman David Koon and Assemblyman DiNapoli in the Assembly and Senator John Flanagan in the Senate, was signed by Governor Pataki in October 2005.

“This new law provides for a cultural shift in New York’s approach to protecting public health and the environment,” said DiNapoli. “While continuing to enhance the State’s existing regulatory programs, it is time to develop programs and establish incentives that will help New York businesses pursue innovation, improve their environmental performance, and maintain their competitive advantage in an increasingly global marketplace.”

The law explicitly grants DEC the power to implement comprehensive pollution prevention initiatives, including annual training for all department staff; the coordination of assistance, inspection and enforcement efforts; and the provision of information regarding opportunities for pollution prevention as a matter of course during permitting, inspection and enforcement activities. Support for an increase in state technical assistance is accompanied by a directive to adopt policies to address how DEC will respond if violations are discovered in the course of providing such assistance.

The law also establishes a Small Business Pollution Prevention and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program that will assist eligible businesses to achieve pollution prevention through on-site consultations and the development of comprehensive pollution prevention plans or environmental management systems. This program is an expansion of the existing Clean Air Assistance Program currently carried out by the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and Empire State Development (ESD).

A recent study by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable documents that assistance programs across the country resulted in the avoidance of more than 167 billion pounds of pollution from 1990 to 2000. Experience in New York has shown that for every dollar government spends on prevention assistance, small businesses save six dollars.




VAPOR INTRUSION:
An Emerging Public Health Concern

Vapor intrusion occurs when volatile chemicals from contaminated soil and groundwater vaporize and rise up through cracks, gaps or pores in soil and foundations into homes and other buildings. It is known to have occurred at several Superfund sites in New York State and has the potential to be a problem at brownfield sites as well.
With the participation of Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D-Ithaca), Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endicott) and Assemblyman Patrick Manning (R-Hopewell Junction), the Committee convened a series of public hearings to determine what lessons can be learned from past experience in order to properly address vapor intrusion in the future. The first hearing was held in Endicott in November 2004; the second in Ithaca in April 2005; and the third in Hopewell Junction in May 2005. The Committee received testimony from panels of witnesses including federal, state and local government officials; public health and environmental experts; and citizens from affected communities.

In March 2005, the Committee issued a preliminary report titled “Vapor Intrusion of Contamination from Soil and Groundwater into Indoor Air,” which is available from Assemblyman DiNapoli’s Albany office or by clicking here. The Committee is planning to release a final report on these hearings by the end of the year. Some key findings and recommendations include:

  • There is a high level of uncertainty, and even controversy, associated with many of the issues raised by vapor intrusion – from site screening and initial testing through the setting of indoor air quality standards, mitigation and remediation. In the face of this uncertainty, government must take a precautionary approach to eliminating the exposures caused by vapor intrusion.

  • The decision-making process at vapor intrusion sites should be open and transparent, provide citizens with complete and accurate information on potential health impacts, and ensure opportunities for meaningful citizen participation.

  • DOH should revise its indoor air guideline for trichloroethylene (TCE) to reflect the most protective assumptions about toxicity and exposure supported by science. DOH’s current guideline of 5.0 mcg/m3 is two orders of magnitude higher than the risk-based concentrations for TCE developed by a number of EPA regions and other states based on more protective assumptions. Caution is warranted given the inherent difficulty of gathering definitive data on the health impacts of toxic chemicals and the epidemiologic and toxicological evidence available to us regarding the association of exposure to low levels of TCE with cancer and serious non-cancer health impacts, such as birth defects.

  • DOH and DEC should adopt a general presumption that mitigation will be implemented for any structure where contamination is detected and evidence exists that such contamination may be caused by vapor intrusion. This recommendation is supported by a large number of findings from the Committee’s hearings, including the fact that the most protective risk-based concentrations for TCE are equal to or below detection limits; that the accurate prediction and measurement of vapor intrusion is difficult; and that the cost of mitigation is equal to or less than the cost of monitoring.




Protecting School Children Through the Use of Green Cleaning Products

cleaners
A new law will help protect the health and safety of millions of school children by requiring elementary and secondary schools in the state to use environmentally-friendly, or “green” cleaning and maintenance products. The legislation, (A.8742/S.5435), sponsored by Assemblyman DiNapoli, was signed by the Governor in August 2005.

Studies have shown that many cleaning and maintenance products contain potentially harmful chemicals that may threaten individual health or lead to accidental poisoning. Over the long term, the use of these products burdens wastewater treatment facilities and may result in surface or groundwater contamination. Under the new law, products used by schools must minimize adverse impacts on children’s health and the environment.

“Even more so than adults, children are vulnerable to, and may be severely affected by, exposure to toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, and other environmental hazards,” said DiNapoli. “This legislation will reduce as much as possible the exposure of children and school staff to the potentially harmful chemicals found in cleaning products.”

Healthy and environmentally-friendly products have been proven to perform as well as traditional cleanup products at equivalent cost.




2005 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

The Legislative Budget Conference Subcommittee on Agriculture/Environment/Housing was successful in allocating funding for a number of environmental initiatives, including the following:

  • $500,000 for environmental justice grants to community-based organizations for projects aimed at addressing and researching the community’s exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks;

  • $1,600,000 to improve access to Jamaica Bay in Southern Queens through the creation of waterfront trails, fishing areas, canoeing and kayaking facilities and other recreational opportunities; and

  • $1,000,000 for projects proposing to eradicate infestations of aquatic invasive species such as Eurasian watermilfoil, water chestnut, zebra mussels, common reed (Phragmites invasive strain), purple loosestrife, or others.

Finally, in conjunction with the Legislative conference committees, the Legislature and Governor reached agreement on and signed a Memorandum of Understanding that makes available $30 million for local communities to develop strategies to cleanup and reuse brownfields, as well as for grants to assist communities in participating in the redevelopment of brownfields. This agreement enabled an agreement by the Subcommittee on providing $15 million for these programs in SFY 2005-06.

For the first time in over 20 years, the 2005-06 State Budget was enacted on-time and was negotiated in an open, bipartisan manner. The Legislative Budget Conference Subcommittee on Agriculture/Environment/Housing included several significant victories for the environment.

For the first time in over 20 years, the 2005-06 State Budget was enacted on-time and was negotiated in an open, bipartisan manner. The legislative budget conference subcommittee on Agriculture/Environment/Housing included several significant victories for the environment.

Among these was an agreement to permanently increase the size of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) by $25 million to a record high $150 million. In his budget proposal, the Governor responded to the Assembly and environmental community by proposing to increase the EPF by $25 million. However, the Governor undermined his own proposal by making the increase discretionary and seeking to add $31.95 million in offloads and new purposes to the Fund.

The Assembly worked closely with the Senate to improve the Governor’s plan by ensuring that the $25 million increase will be a guaranteed increase in 2006-07 and beyond, and by removing the vast majority of the offloads. The Legislative plan provided for the restoration and enhancement of funding for traditional EPF programs such as municipal parks, waterfront revitalization, municipal recycling, non-point source pollution control, and agricultural and farmland protection. In addition, 25 percent of funding for municipal parks and waterfront access was set aside for low-income communities that are underserved by open space.

Also contained in the final budget was a package of reforms to the Empire Zone program, which included provisions that may reduce sprawl and zones being designated on open space. Specifically, the program now limits the designation of zones to areas served by sewer and water infrastructure unless there is no viable alternative.

photo
DiNapoli poses questions to DEC Officials and environmental groups about budget priorities.



Assembly Earth Day Package

photo Assemblyman DiNapoli addresses environmental groups on the legislative package the Assembly was passing on Earth Day.
On April 19, 2005 the Assembly celebrated the 35th anniversary of Earth Day by passing a comprehensive package of bills to protect New York’s waterways, air and land. The package included two of the five “Super Bills” and a new law (Chapter 676) aimed at restricting the sale and distribution of products containing mercury.

“From banning the open burning of solid waste and regulating carbon dioxide emissions to protecting New Yorkers from mercury and pesticides, I am proud of the lead the Assembly has taken to ensure that the environment we pass on is cleaner and healthier for future generations,” said DiNapoli.

The following 14 bills comprise the legislative package passed by the Assembly:

  • A.114 (Bradley) – Allows individuals to challenge state environmental quality review act (SEQRA) determinations

  • A.1454 (Colton) – Creates an electronic recycling program to ensure the proper disposal of electronic waste

  • A.1802-A (Brodsky) – Reduces pesticide use by New York State agencies, and fosters non-chemical pest control strategies

  • “From banning the open burning of solid waste and regulating carbon dioxide emissions to protecting New Yorkers from mercury and pesticides, I am proud of the lead the Assembly has taken to ensure that the environment we pass on is cleaner and healthier for future generations,” said DiNapoli.
    A.3073 (Koon) – Prohibits open, outdoor incineration of most household wastes in so-called “burn barrels”
  • A.3574 (DiNapoli) – Promotes the funding of infrastructure projects by certain state agencies in a manner consistent with smart growth principles

  • A.4459 (DiNapoli) – Regulates emissions of carbon dioxide by major electric generating facilities effective January 1, 2009

  • A.4793 (Colton) – Clarifies prohibitions on the disposal of recyclables in solid waste facilities and specifies materials which must be included under local recycling laws

  • A.5328 (Ramos) – Provides for health studies in cases where a major source of air pollution repeatedly exceeds emissions limits or permit conditions are altered to allow higher emissions

  • A.5982 (Diaz) – Provides for the identification of areas of the State most adversely affected by existing environmental hazards

  • A.6448 (Wright) – Creates a state urban pesticide board to study and report on the application of pesticides in urban areas

  • A.6484 (Grannis) – Directs the DEC to implement air pollution standards for mercury, effective January 1, 2012

  • A.6850 (DiNapoli) – Prohibits the sale of mercury thermostats, various mercury instruments and measuring devices, and mercury switches and relays

  • A.6985 (Magee) – Creates a linked deposit program to assist eligible borrowers in undertaking non-point source water pollution projects

  • A.7083 (Lupardo) – Requires that prior to the sale of state land a determination is made that such sale is consistent with the state land acquisition plan

Since New York State’s first Earth Day celebration 35 years ago, the Assembly has been instrumental in protecting the state’s environment by initiating a number of landmark measures, including the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Tidal and Freshwater Wetlands Protection Acts, the Adirondack Park Agency Act, the Pine Barrens Preservation Act, the State Superfund, the Environmental Protection Fund, the Returnable Container Act, the Pesticide Use and Reporting Act, and the Brownfield Cleanup Program and State Superfund Refinancing Act of 2003.




Significant Enacted EnCon Bills

A.6850-A (DiNapoli)Prohibits the sale of mercury thermostats, various mercury instruments and measuring devices, and mercury switches and relays (Chapter 676)

A.7032 (Glick) Prohibits the shooting or spearing of targets or animals from a remote location over the Internet (Chapter 653)

A.6852-C (Koon) Establishes a small business pollution prevention and small business environmental compliance assistance program (Chapter 654)

A.7280-B (DiNapoli) Relates to promoting the reuse of greywater and reclaimed wastewater (Chapter 619)

A.8672-B (Parment) Revises the procedures relating to the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves including clarifications regarding the rights and responsibilities of operators and landowners (Chapter 386)

A.3711-B (Bradley) Increases protections for endangered and threatened species, species of special concern and certain reptiles and amphibians (Chapter 706)

A.7603-A (Green) Requires environmental impact statements to be posted on a publicly-available Internet website (Chapter 641)

A.8005-B (Ortiz) Authorizes DEC to prepare materials necessary for farm worker pesticide application certifications in Spanish or other languages, if necessary (Chapter 732)

A.8446 (Magnarelli) Dedicates the Camillus Forest Unique Area to the State Nature and Historical Preserve (Chapter 463)

A.8447 (Reilly) Dedicates the Albany Pine Bush Preserve to the State Nature and Historical Preserve (Chapter 217)

A.6460-B (DiNapoli) Provides clarifications in the Pine Barrens statute regarding the eligibility of government entities for hardship permits (Chapter 448)

A.8366 (O’Donnell) Enacts the interstate mining compact (Chapter 618)

A.6454-B (DiNapoli); A.8770 (Rivera, N); A.8832 (DiNapoli) Further protects the State’s marine resources by providing for additional regulation over the bay scallop, oyster and lobster fisheries (Chapters 204, 155, 175)




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