A10264 Summary:
BILL NO | A10264 |
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SAME AS | SAME AS S07908 |
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SPONSOR | Englebright |
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COSPNSR | Crespo, Simon, Cahill, Mosley, Cook, Braunstein, Rosenthal, Gottfried, Lifton |
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MLTSPNSR | Glick, Robinson, Thiele |
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Establishes the New York state ocean acidification task force to identify the causes and factors contributing to ocean acidification and to evaluate ways of addressing the problem by applying the best available science as to ocean acidification and its anticipated impacts. |
A10264 Memo:
Go to topNEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)   BILL NUMBER: A10264 SPONSOR: Englebright
  TITLE OF BILL: An act in relation to creating the New York state ocean acidification task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To facilitate research, public education, and information-sharing regarding ocean acidification and its impacts on the State.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: This bill would create a fourteen-member Ocean Acidification Task Force within the Department of Environmental Conservation to identify the causes and factors contributing to ocean acidification and evaluating ways of addressing the problem by applying the best available science. In addition to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Depart- ment of State, and the Office of General Services, the Task Force would include at large members who would have expertise in one or more of the following areas: climatology; hydrology; economics; marine fisheries; aquaculture; oceanography; or ecology.   JUSTIFICATION: Atmospheric carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid when dissolved in water. As a result, the increased levels of carbon dioxide resulting from climate change have contributed to oceans becoming increasingly acidic. Ocean acidification can be further exacerbated by runoff and nutrient influx from land. According to information provided by the Maine Ocean Acidification Commission, "Scientific data indicates that the rate of acidification is at least 100 times faster at present than at any other time in the last 200,000 years and may be unprecedented in earth's history." In addition, it is thought that the Atlantic Ocean along the Northeast shore will be especially vulnerable to ocean acidification because carbon dioxide is increasingly soluble in cold water and the Northeast will be subject to increasingly intense rain events leading to more intensive runoff. Although the science is still developing, it is believed that ocean acidification will have an adverse impact on the marine fisheries indus- try, especially shellfish. The Draft Ocean Action Plan 2015-2025 prepared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of State indicates "In 2011, commercial fishing industries landed more than 27 million pounds of finfish and shellfish worth $37.6 million, generated $5 billion in sales in local communities, contributed $1.8 billion to the gross state product, and supported 42,000 jobs. That same year, recreational anglers generated $369 million in sales, contributed $212 million to gross state product, and supported 3,000 jobs."   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is new legislation.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: Minimal.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall be take effect immediately and shall be deemed repealed January 1, 2019.
A10264 Text:
Go to top STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 10264 IN ASSEMBLY May 18, 2016 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation AN ACT in relation to creating the New York state ocean acidification task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expi- ration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. New York state ocean acidification task force. 1. There is 2 hereby established, within the department of environmental conservation, 3 an ocean acidification task force ("task force") which shall consist of 4 14 members who shall be appointed as follows: 5 (a) the commissioner of environmental conservation or his or her 6 designee; 7 (b) the secretary of state or his or her designee; 8 (c) the commissioner of the office of general services or his or her 9 designee; 10 (d) two members appointed by the governor; 11 (e) two members to be appointed by the temporary president of the 12 senate; 13 (f) two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; 14 (g) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 15 (h) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; 16 (i) one member to be appointed by the mayor of the city of New York; 17 (j) one member to be appointed by the county executive of the county 18 of Nassau; and 19 (k) one member to be appointed by the county executive of the county 20 of Suffolk. 21 2. The at large members should include individuals with expertise in 22 one or more of the following areas: climatology; hydrology; economics; 23 marine fisheries including commercial and/or recreational fishing; envi- 24 ronmental; aquaculture; oceanography or coastal ocean science; ocean 25 acidification; and ecology or environmental biology. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD15546-01-6A. 10264 2 1 3. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their services 2 but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in 3 the performance of their duties. 4 4. The chairperson of the task force shall be the commissioner of 5 environmental conservation or his or her designee. The task force shall 6 meet no less than four times and at other times at the call of the 7 chairperson. 8 5. Any vacancies on the task force shall be filled in the manner 9 provided for in the initial appointment. 10 6. The task force shall be authorized to hold public hearings and 11 meetings to enable it to accomplish its duties. 12 7. The task force may consult with any organization, educational 13 institution, other government entity or agency or person including, but 14 not limited to, the national ocean and atmospheric administration, in 15 the development of its report required by subdivision 10 of this 16 section. 17 8. The department of environmental conservation shall provide the task 18 force with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task 19 force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agen- 20 cies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at the request of the 21 chairperson, provide the task force with such facilities, assistance, 22 and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and 23 duties. 24 9. The purpose of the New York state ocean acidification task force 25 shall be to identify the causes and factors contributing to ocean acidi- 26 fication and evaluating ways of addressing the problem by applying the 27 best available science as to ocean acidification and its anticipated 28 impacts. 29 10. No later than December 31, 2018, the task force shall transmit to 30 the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of 31 the assembly a report containing the following: 32 (a) an assessment of the anticipated impacts related to ocean acidifi- 33 cation; 34 (b) recommendations related to mechanisms New York could establish to 35 provide stronger, more protective standards, and the implementation and 36 enforcement of such standards in the context of ocean acidification; 37 (c) recommendations regarding adaptive measures which may be taken to 38 respond to ocean acidification, including measures to: 39 (i) identify and monitor early effects of ocean acidification on 40 marine life, animals, plants and natural communities; and 41 (ii) integrate ocean acidification mitigation and adaptation strate- 42 gies into state environmental plans; 43 (d) recommendations on state and local regulatory and/or statutory 44 alterations to respond to the impacts of ocean acidification; 45 (e) review existing scientific literature and data on ocean acidifica- 46 tion and how it has directly or indirectly affected or may potentially 47 affect commercially harvested and grown species along the coast; 48 (f) identify and monitor the factors contributing to ocean acidifica- 49 tion; and 50 (g) recommendations to increase public awareness of ocean acidifica- 51 tion. 52 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 53 deemed repealed January 1, 2019.