Environment (Water Quality)

Bill S 1733 creates a new program to help municipalities improve water quality in water bodies managed by lake associations within their jurisdiction. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will establish this program to identify water quality concerns, determine effective remediation strategies, and assist with best practices for maintaining water quality. Additionally, the DEC will create a grant program to provide financial assistance to municipalities for remedial actions. The department is authorized to develop rules and regulations to implement these provisions.

This bill allows the town of Warwick to use up to 10% of its existing community preservation fund for water quality improvement projects, such as cleaning rivers or protecting drinking water sources. Previously, these funds could only be used for preserving community character (e.g., land conservation). The change explicitly adds water quality projects to the fund's permitted uses while maintaining the 10% spending limit. It does not create new funding but reallocates existing resources for environmental protection.

This bill allows local water and sewer authorities to charge fees based on property size and impervious area (like paved surfaces that prevent rain absorption) to fund stormwater management. Authorities can offer fee discounts for income-eligible properties or credits for installing eco-friendly solutions like permeable pavement that reduce runoff. All collected fees must directly support stormwater management programs within the district, including green infrastructure projects. Agricultural properties may be exempt from these fees, and revenue cannot duplicate existing stormwater funding.

S 1833 creates New York's "harmful algal bloom monitoring and prevention act," establishing a state program to address toxic algae outbreaks in waterways. It requires state agencies to collect, consolidate, and analyze statewide data on harmful algal blooms (HABs), including water conditions and prevention efforts, and maintain a public database. The law mandates annual publication of region-specific best practices for HAB prevention and a comprehensive five-year report with public input, recommending coordinated state and local actions. This directly affects state environmental agencies and local municipalities managing water resources, focusing on data-driven prevention rather than new regulations.