Requires the mobilization of the New York guard for certain power outages; requires power outage restoration training for members of the New York guard.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1508
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the
mobilization of the New York guard for certain power outages; and to
amend the military law, in relation to requiring power outage restora-
tion training for members of the New York guard
PURPOSE:
Requires the mobilization of the New York Guard to respond to power
outages lasting for more than 24 hours and affecting in excess of 25,000
people. Requires training of the New York Guard in power outage restora-
tion techniques, including direct restoration, grid maintenance and tree
removal.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Adds a new section 73 to the Public Service Law which requires the mobi-
lization. of the New York Guard to respond to power outages lasting for
more than 24 hours and affecting in excess of 25,000 people. Adds a new
section 171 to the Military Law that requires training of the New York
Guard in power outage restoration techniques, including direct restora-
tion, grid maintenance and tree removal.
JUSTIFICATION:
On August 4th, Tropical Storm Isaias hit New York with heavy rain,
tornadoes, and winds gusting up to 70 miles per hour. The storm left
hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without power across New York City,
Long Island, Westchester and the Hudson Valley, including over 420,000
customers in the PSEG-LI service territory, 260,000 customers in the Con
Edison service territory, and 90,000 customers in the NYSEG service
territory. The storm also disrupted the regions' telephone, cable, and
interne services; services that are particularly essential for New
Yorker's during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outages and service
disruptions lasted for multiple days, and in some areas of the State
many homes and businesses are still waiting to be reconnected.
In an effort to better serve communities who are left without power for
days or weeks at a time, we must mandate the deployment of the New York
Guard during major outages and, moreover train them so they can engage
in direct power restoration, grid maintenance and tree removal.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.10594 - Referred to Corporations, Authorities, and Commis-
sions
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1508
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the
mobilization of the New York guard for certain power outages; and to
amend the military law, in relation to requiring power outage restora-
tion training for members of the New York guard
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section
2 73-b to read as follows:
3 § 73-b. Power outages; mobilization of New York guard. 1. The governor
4 is directed to mobilize the New York guard when any power outage occurs
5 in this state where a total of twenty-five thousand or more customers
6 remain without power in any geographic area of this state after twenty-
7 four hours from the time the power outage first occurred.
8 2. The purpose and objective of the mobilization of the New York guard
9 pursuant to this section shall be to restore and aid public utility
10 corporations in this state in the restoration of power to homes and
11 businesses. Such mobilization shall initially concentrate on the resto-
12 ration of power in areas with a high concentration of overhead power
13 lines as determined by the governor.
14 3. The commissioner shall require that the cost of training members of
15 the New York guard to carry out the provisions of this section pursuant
16 to section one hundred seventy-one of the military law be borne collec-
17 tively by public utility corporations in this state.
18 § 2. The military law is amended by adding a new section 171 to read
19 as follows:
20 § 171. Training; restoration of power. Each member of the New York
21 guard shall be required to complete training in the restoration of power
22 to homes and businesses, electrical power grid maintenance and tree
23 removal for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of section seven-
24 ty-three-b of the public service law.
25 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03750-01-3
