NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3907A
SPONSOR: Steck (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in
relation to establishing the safe water infrastructure action program
for the purpose of making payments toward the replacement and rehabili-
tation of existing local municipally-owned and funded drinking water,
storm water and sanitary sewer systems
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would implement a companion program to the existing Consol-
idated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs), called the
Safe Water Infrastructure Action Program (SWAP), which offers assistance
to local governments for drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm water
infrastructure.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 120-dd to
read as follows:
Section 1 of the bill establishes criteria for the State to make
payments to municipalities for the purpose of replacing or rehabilitat-
ing aging water infrastructure.
Section 2 of the bill requires payments to be made quarterly.
Section 3 of the bill requires payments to be made based on length and
width of water infrastructure.
Section 4 of the bill authorizes funds to match federal assistance if
necessary and to purchase materials for water infrastructure projects.
Section 5 of the bill authorizes funds to be used toward a consolidated
project being undertaken with other municipalities, but does not mandate
or require consolidation.
Section 6 of the bill requires funds to be made available to the local
infrastructure account in an amount equal to the existing CHIPs program.
JUSTIFICATION:
Many examples of our aging infrastructure have recently been manifested
in the form of unsafe drinking water, transmission pipe bursts, and
sewer line collapses throughout the State.
An aging infrastructure is not only costly to our localities and a
threat to public safety; it is also an impediment to their fiscal
health. Communities facing severe fiscal constraints cannot absorb the
financial burden of the frequent and disruptive breaks associated with
an aged and deteriorating water and sewer infrastructure.
Economic growth is completely dependent upon updated and sound infras-
tructure that can support added capacity. New York State will simply not
be competitive unless we invest in our infrastructure to ensure it has
the capacity for increased commercial growth and residential popu-
lations, much less handle its current capacity. New businesses will not
invest in our state if they cannot depend on the infrastructure to serve
them.
Like the current CHIPS Program, the "SWAP" Program will provide our
towns and municipalities a reliable and consistent funding source to
maintain these systems, which in many cases are more than 100 years old.
BILL HISTORY:
2017: A3907/S3292
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This program will cause the State Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion to invest the same annual amount in local water infrastructure
projects as is invested in local CHIPS projects.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
