Extends, from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024, the expiration of the authorization granted to residential property owners in high risk brush fire areas on Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their property.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A6857
SPONSOR: Fall
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 306 of the laws of 2011, authorizing owners of
residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in the borough
of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their property, in
relation to extending the expiration and repeal date thereof for an
additional year
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to establish a general residential fire
break permit for the borough of Staten Island, city of New York to allow
the owner . of residential real property to cut and remove phragmites.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends Section 3 of chapter 306 of the laws of 2011 authoriz-
ing owners of residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in
the borough of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their proper-
ty, as amended by chapter 266 of the laws of 2022.
Section 2. Provides for an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Every year on Staten Island there are series of dangerous brushfires.
Many areas on Staten Island are prone to brushfires because they are
thick with an invasive, nonnative species of weed - phragmites communis.
Phragmites are reeds and combustible plants that commonly grow seven
feet tall and often turn into tinderboxes especially during the spring
and fall seasons. They have been the proven source of numerous brush
fires which often escalate and threaten surrounding properties. Accord-
ing to information provided by the New York City Fire Department, in the
past 15 plus years there have been over 7,400 reported brush fires on
Staten Island with close to 200 of them being "all hands on" requiring
all fire houses on the Island to send assistance.
This legislation extends chapter 58 of the laws of 2020 for another
year. It allows a residential property owner in a high-risk brush fire
area in the borough of Staten Island to obtain a no-cost permit to cut
down these invasive combustible reeds thereby reducing the life-threat-
ening pharagmite fires that not only destroy property and homes but put
our first responders at risk as they battle these blazes. The no-cost
permits can be obtained via telephone or in person through the Staten
Island borough president's office. Furthermore, information regarding
the availability of the residential fire break permits can be found on
the Department of Environmental Conservation website.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022: A.9510/S.B357 - Chapter 266;
2021:A.2000/S.1550 - Chapter 115;
2020: A.10082 - Chapter 58(in budget);
2019:A.7006/S.2388 - Chapter 393;
2018: A.9873/S.7734 - Chapter 144;
2017:A.1189/5.1865 - Chapter 108;
2016: A.9876/S.7332 - Chapter 206;
2015:A.1460/S.2546 - Chapter 245;
2014: A.8862/S.6656 - Chapter 267;
2012:A.9046/S.6219 - Chapter 34;
2011: A.7463-A/S.4377-A - Chapter 306.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed December 31, 2024.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6857
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 8, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FALL -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend chapter 306 of the laws of 2011, authorizing owners of
residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in the borough
of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their property, in
relation to extending the expiration and repeal date thereof for an
additional year
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3 of chapter 306 of the laws of 2011, authorizing
2 owners of residential real property in high risk brush fire areas in the
3 borough of Staten Island to cut and remove reeds from their property, as
4 amended by chapter 266 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
5 follows:
6 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
7 deemed repealed December 31, [2023] 2024.
8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09593-01-3