S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1325
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, JAFFEE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
         of A. CAHILL, COLTON, DIAZ, LUPARDO, McENENY, ORTIZ, PHEFFER,  SWEENEY
         --  read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conserva-
         tion
       AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
         providing  for  a state of New York state's natural environment annual
         report
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
    2  new section 3-0121 to read as follows:
    3  S 3-0121. STATE OF NEW YORK STATE'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT.
    4    1. THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  PREPARE  AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  (HEREINAFTER
    5  REFERRED  TO  IN  THIS  SECTION  AS  "REPORT")  ON THE STATE OF NEW YORK
    6  STATE'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO BE AVAILABLE  TO  THE  RESIDENTS  OF  THE
    7  STATE  BEGINNING  IN  THE  CALENDAR YEAR FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
    8  THIS SECTION.
    9    2. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   10    A. IDENTIFICATION OF ANY SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CHANGES  TO
   11  THE QUALITY OF THE STATE'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMIT-
   12  ED TO, EFFECTS TO AIR, WATER, SOIL, WETLANDS, AND OTHER NATURAL COMMUNI-
   13  TIES AND WILDLIFE, AND THE CAUSES UNDERLYING SUCH CHANGES; AND
   14    B.  SIGNIFICANT  PROGRAMMATIC  ACCOMPLISHMENTS  OF  THE DEPARTMENT AND
   15  AREAS IN WHICH SIGNIFICANT ISSUES  AND  PROBLEMS  REMAIN  UNRESOLVED  OR
   16  UNADDRESSED, AND PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
   17  FOR RESOLVING AND ADDRESSING SUCH ISSUES.
   18    3.  THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY  USE  INFORMATION AND MATERIAL CONTAINED IN
   19  OTHER REPORTS REQUIRED FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04213-01-9
       A. 1325                             2
    1    4. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT FEASIBLE, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL BE  ENTITLED
    2  TO  REQUEST  AND  RECEIVE  DATA  FROM  ANY STATE AGENCY TO CARRY OUT THE
    3  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
    4    5.  SUCH  REPORT SHALL BE ANNUALLY SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR, LEGISLA-
    5  TURE AND PUBLIC ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
    6  MAKE THE REPORT AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FREE  OF  CHARGE  AND
    7  SUCH REPORT SHALL BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET WEBSITE.
    8    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.