Authorizes the renewal of the WSKG lease for such land, tower and associated utility lines to the Tioga county emergency services, the Newark Valley central school district, the Berkshire fire department and the town of Berkshire highway department for a period of ten years.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7890A
SPONSOR: Friend TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 412 of the laws of 1990 relating to authorizing
the commissioner of environmental conservation to lease a portion of
state land to public television station WSKG, in relation to leasing
such land, tower and associated utility lines to the Tioga county emer-
gency services, the Newark Valley central school district, the Berkshire
fire department and the town of Berkshire highway department
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:
Authorizes the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to lease state
land to the Tioga County bureau of fire, the Northern Tioga emergency
medical services, the Newark Valley central school district, the Berk-
shire fire department and the town of Berkshire highway department.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends chapter 412 of the laws of 1990 relating to authorizing
the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to lease a portion of
state land to public television station WSKG.
County Bureau of Fire, the Northern Tioga emergency medical services,
the Newark Valley central school district, the Berkshire fire department
and the town of Berkshire highway department. The lease shall be made
upon such terms and conditions as the commission determines, provided
the lease does not exceed ten years.
JUSTIFICATION:
Since 2004, the Berkshire Emergency Group has leased the radio tower
site from the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation. This tower
serves as the primary communication hub for Tioga County emergency
services, the Newark Valley Central School District, the Berkshire Fire
Department, and the Town of Berkshire Highway Department.
Moving forward, the Tioga County Bureau of Fire will become a leasehold-
er and will integrate the county's fire and EMS services through the
radio tower. Northern Tioga Emergency Medical Services, the Newark
Valley Central School District, the Berkshire Fire Department, and the
Town of Berkshire Highway Department'will continue to rely on the tower
for their communication needs.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Chap 412 of 1990; repealed Chap 33 of 1979
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7890--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 11, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FRIEND -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Local Governments -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Govern-
ments in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend chapter 412 of the laws of 1990 relating to authorizing
the commissioner of environmental conservation to lease a portion of
state land to public television station WSKG, in relation to leasing
such land, tower and associated utility lines to the Tioga county
emergency services, the Newark Valley central school district, the
Berkshire fire department and the town of Berkshire highway department
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 412 of the laws of 1990 relating to
2 authorizing the commissioner of environmental conservation to lease a
3 portion of state land to public television station WSKG, as amended by
4 chapter 270 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
5 Section 1. The commissioner of environmental conservation is hereby
6 authorized to lease to the Tioga county [bureau of fire, the Northern
7 Tioga] emergency [medical] services, the Newark Valley central school
8 district, the Berkshire fire department and the town of Berkshire high-
9 way department for such consideration as [he or she] such person deems
10 just compensation to the state, that portion of Tioga state forest #7,
11 town of Newark Valley, upon which is installed a television translator
12 station. Lease of such land, and television translator system shall be
13 made upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner may fix and
14 determine, provided that such lease shall be for a term not to exceed
15 ten years.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11508-03-6
