Environment

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6728: Enacts the "Great Swamp Protection Act"

S 6728, the "Great Swamp Protection Act," establishes a legal framework to protect the 6,000-acre Great Swamp wetland ecosystem in Dutchess and Putnam counties. It creates a 13-member commission (with state, county, and local representatives) to develop a land use and management plan for the area, coordinating state, county, and federal efforts. The bill designates specific lands as a "Great Swamp preserve" to safeguard wetlands, critical watersheds, and habitats for endangered species, while ensuring existing agricultural, recreational, and tourism activities continue under the plan. It directly affects landowners, local governments, and conservation agencies managing the region’s natural resources.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill designates lands as preserve to safeguard wetlands, watersheds, and endangered species habitats, directly protecting environment per summary95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Wildlife

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1793: Authorizes certain local municipal agencies to use surveillance cameras to combat illegal dumping

This bill allows municipal agencies responsible for waste management to install and use surveillance cameras to identify people illegally dumping waste. It directly affects local governments and their sanitation departments by giving them a new tool to monitor dumping sites. The key provision permits these agencies to review camera footage specifically to catch individuals violating illegal dumping laws. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment, with no additional requirements or restrictions specified.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentPrevents illegal dumping (a pollution source) by enabling surveillance, reducing environmental contamination from waste disposal violations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Waste Management

Track

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6595: Provides a tax abatement for facilty-integrated carbon-to-value equipment

Bill S 6595 establishes a property tax abatement program for owners of certain buildings in cities with populations of one million or more. This program incentivizes the installation of "facility-integrated carbon-to-value equipment" designed to capture, remove, or beneficially use carbon dioxide emissions. Eligible property owners can receive an abatement for a compliance period of up to eight years, calculated as the lesser of 5% of eligible equipment expenditures, the taxes payable, or $100,000 annually (with a potential maximum of $800,000). The equipment must demonstrate a net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and specific restrictions apply, including for certain boiler systems and locations within environmental justice areas.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a property tax abatement program, directly creating a tax incentive for businesses to adopt carbon capture equipment, advancing tax policy as a fiscal tool.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill incentivizes carbon capture technology via tax abatement, promoting emissions reduction in energy infrastructure per clean energy indicators.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill incentivizes CO2 capture technology via tax abatement, directly reducing emissions and advancing environmental protection through carbon management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Environmental Justice

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 667: Prohibits the use of leg-gripping traps

This bill prohibits the use of leg-gripping traps (traps that clamp onto an animal's leg with teeth or excessive jaw spread) for trapping wildlife in New York State. It directly affects trappers, wildlife managers, and anyone using traps for hunting or pest control. Key provisions ban traps with jaw spreads exceeding 7¼ inches in water during beaver/otter season or 5¾ inches otherwise, require traps on land to be covered and equipped with safety devices, and forbid traps that suspend wildlife. The law amends existing environmental conservation statutes to implement these specific restrictions.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBans inhumane leg-gripping traps to protect wildlife conservation, directly advancing environmental protection goals through regulated trapping practices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Wildlife

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1276: Provides for the regulation by the department of environmental conservation of business transaction paper containing bisphenol A

This bill prohibits the use of paper containing bisphenol A (BPA) for business transactions like receipts, bank records, and credit/debit card slips. It directly affects paper manufacturers (who must stop producing BPA paper and switch to safer alternatives) and businesses using such paper. Manufacturers must replace BPA with the least toxic alternative certified by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which must annually update its list of approved chemicals and prohibited toxins, while an independent advisory committee evaluates safer options.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits BPA in business paper (a toxic chemical), mandates safer alternatives, and strengthens environmental regulation through DEC oversight to reduce pollution and health risks.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Recycling

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 993: Creates the concentrated animal feeding operation environmental compliance revolving loan program

This bill creates a revolving loan program to help large-scale livestock farms cover costs for environmental compliance, such as developing and implementing nutrient management plans to prevent pollution from runoff. The program provides loans for planning, engineering, construction, and related expenses, with repayments replenishing the fund for future use. Eligible farm operators must apply through participating lenders, and the state agency sets eligibility criteria in consultation with the Agriculture Department. The self-sustaining structure ensures ongoing support for farms meeting environmental standards without direct state funding.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProvides loans for nutrient management plans to prevent farm runoff pollution, directly supporting environmental compliance and pollution control measures.95% confidence

Tags Agriculture

Track

died · New York · Senate Feb 25, 2026

S 1529: Establishes a carbon farming tax credit for farmers

Establishes the carbon farming certification committee for the purpose of developing a certification framework, determining qualified carbon removal practices eligible for the carbon farming tax credit, and promulgating certification standards for qualified carbon removal practices; provides for the development of educational materials to encourage carbon farming by promoting farming practices which reduce, sequester and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions on land used in support of a farm operation; establishes carbon farming tax credits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates tax credit for carbon farming, providing direct tax relief to farmers, explicitly impacting state tax policy and revenue.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill provides tax credit for carbon farming to increase sequestration, directly reducing emissions and advancing climate goals through agricultural practices.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Climate Change

Track

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3253: Relates to certain mined land-plans

S 3253 requires mining operations on Long Island to maintain a minimum 10-foot buffer of undisturbed ground between active mining areas and the existing water table in counties with populations over one million that rely on aquifers for drinking water. The bill amends New York's environmental conservation law to mandate this buffer as part of all new or renewed mining plans in designated areas. This directly affects mining companies seeking permits in Long Island counties like Nassau and Suffolk, which depend on aquifers for public water supplies. The key provision ensures mining plans explicitly include this buffer to minimize potential groundwater contamination from mining activities.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates 10-foot buffer between mining and aquifers to protect drinking water sources, strengthening environmental conservation law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Drinking Water

Track

passed · New York · Senate Apr 27, 2026

S 7718: Requires owners of certain large vessels to establish whale strike prevention policies

This bill requires owners of commercial vessels 500 feet or longer operating in New York's marine and coastal district to create and submit whale strike prevention policies by July 1, 2027. The policies must include science-based measures like speed reductions, crew training, and vessel-specific considerations to minimize collisions with whales. Vessel owners must submit these policies at least 48 hours before entering the district (no more than annually), and failure to comply results in fines of $1,000-$15,000 per day. The law aligns with federal guidelines but does not override existing vessel speed restrictions.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates science-based vessel policies to prevent whale collisions, directly conserving marine life and strengthening environmental protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection

Track

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4044: Establishes clean energy goals of reducing the annual total of vehicle miles traveled within the state by 20% by the year 2050

Establishes clean energy goals of reducing the annual total of vehicle miles traveled within the state by 20% by the year 2050; requires state and local highway projects to comply with reductions to vehicle miles traveled targets.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill establishes clean energy goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 20% by 2050, lowering fossil fuel dependence through transportation efficiency targets for highway projects.92% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by 2050, directly reducing transportation emissions and advancing clean energy goals through highway project compliance.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates highway projects to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 20% by 2050, promoting sustainable transportation infrastructure goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Electric Vehicles Roads & Highways

Track