Establishes the native/pollinator planting fund and the pollinator highway program with the goal of promoting the cultivation and maintenance of native flowering plants, grasses and shrubs on land bordering state highways and on other public lands.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7951
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law and the highway law, in relation
to establishing the native/pollinator planting fund and the pollinator
highway program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section
2 99-tt to read as follows:
3 § 99-tt. Native/pollinator planting fund. 1. There is hereby estab-
4 lished in the joint custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance
5 and the state comptroller a special fund to be known as the
6 native/pollinator planting fund. It shall consist of amounts credited to
7 the fund in accordance with this section.
8 2. The fund shall consist of: (a) revenue from appropriations or other
9 money authorized by the state legislature and specifically designated to
10 be credited to the fund; (b) interest earned on money in the fund; (c)
11 state and federal grants for green infrastructure projects; and (d)
12 revenue generated from the sale of a dedicated vanity license plate
13 featuring native plant or pollinator imagery. Amounts credited to the
14 fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remain-
15 ing in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the
16 general fund.
17 3. Money in the fund shall be expended to support the establishment
18 and implementation of the program established under section sixty-seven
19 of the highway law, including grants to municipalities and partnerships
20 with environmental organizations. Priority funding shall be given to
21 projects demonstrating significant community and environmental benefits.
22 4. The department of transportation shall annually, not later than
23 December thirty-first, report on the activity of the fund to: (a) the
24 chairs of the senate and the assembly environmental conservation commit-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11939-02-5
S. 7951 2
1 tees; (b) the chairs of the senate and the assembly transportation
2 committees; and (c) the chairs of the senate finance and the assembly
3 ways and means committees.
4 § 2. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 67 to read as
5 follows:
6 § 67. Pollinator highway program. 1. The department shall establish a
7 program to promote the cultivation and maintenance of native flowering
8 plants, grasses and shrubs on land bordering state highways and on other
9 public lands. The department shall establish objectives for the program
10 including: (a) incorporating native plantings into green infrastructure
11 solutions, such as rain gardens, bio-swales and permeable landscapes to
12 reduce runoff, filter pollutants and improve water quality; (b) estab-
13 lishing and enhancing habitats for pollinators, including bees, butterf-
14 lies and other beneficial insects by prioritizing plant species native
15 to the region; and (c) utilizing native vegetation to improve soil
16 health, sequester carbon and reduce the need for emissions-intensive
17 maintenance activities such as mowing and pesticide applications.
18 2. The department, in consultation with the department of agriculture
19 and markets, the department of environmental conservation and relevant
20 environmental organizations, shall: (a) identify and prioritize suitable
21 locations and areas that would benefit from improved stormwater manage-
22 ment, reduced maintenance or enhanced biodiversity; (b) develop stand-
23 ards for selecting and maintaining plant species to ensure their ecolog-
24 ical suitability, resilience and effectiveness in achieving the
25 program's goals; (c) encourage the use of innovative stormwater manage-
26 ment techniques that integrate native vegetation; and (d) coordinate
27 with municipalities, regional planning agencies and environmental groups
28 to implement pilot projects and community-based initiatives.
29 3. The department shall support the program's implementation by estab-
30 lishing: (a) grants to municipalities for designing and installing green
31 infrastructure projects utilizing native plantings; (b) partnerships
32 with local nurseries and landscapers to supply native plants and support
33 job creation; (c) public-private partnerships to reduce costs and
34 enhance the program's outreach; and (d) in consultation with the depart-
35 ment of motor vehicles, a vanity license plate featuring native plant or
36 pollinator imagery, with the proceeds supporting the program's activ-
37 ities and grants to municipalities.
38 4. The department shall promote community engagement and education by:
39 (a) developing and disseminating educational materials about the envi-
40 ronmental, economic and health benefits of native plantings and stormwa-
41 ter management; (b) encouraging citizen involvement through volunteer
42 programs, local workshops and monitoring initiatives; and (c) collab-
43 orating with school and community organizations to promote environmental
44 stewardship and awareness.
45 5. The department shall establish measurable goals and metrics to
46 assess the program's effectiveness, including: (a) the reduction in
47 stormwater runoff and improvement in water quality; (b) increases in
48 pollinator populations and biodiversity; (c) cost savings in maintenance
49 and operations; and (d) annual reporting to the general public and the
50 legislature on the program's progress.
51 6. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out
52 the purposes of this section within one year of its effective date.
53 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
