STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4408
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
agreements related to renewable energy development rights on refores-
tation areas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
2 new section 9-0508 to read as follows:
3 § 9-0508. Agreements related to renewable energy development rights on
4 reforestation areas.
5 Notwithstanding any provisions of article seven of the public lands
6 law to the contrary, the department may, in any lands acquired by the
7 state in accordance with section 9-0501 of this title, enter into agree-
8 ments, such as leases or easements, for the purpose of aiding in the
9 siting and connectivity of renewable energy installations and the trans-
10 mission and distribution of electricity therefrom. Such installations
11 shall include, but not be limited to, solar power and wind power, under
12 such terms as may be prescribed by the department, and upon such condi-
13 tions that the exercise of such agreement rights shall not interfere
14 with the operation of such reforestation areas for the purposes for
15 which they were acquired and as defined in section three of article
16 fourteen of the New York state constitution. Any agreement made and
17 entered into pursuant to this section shall be recorded in the office of
18 general services and be made available to the public on the official
19 website of such office.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08654-01-5
