Bill Text: NY A05807 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 5807 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Declares a policy of equal treatment of people of all races, cultures, religions, incomes, education levels and sexual preference in the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-06 - referred to environmental conservation [A05807 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-A05807-Introduced.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         5807
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                     March 5, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of A. KAVANAGH, AUBRY, CAHILL, COLTON, COOK, JAFFEE,
         LIFTON, PERRY, ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of  A.  BRENNAN,
         GOTTFRIED,  LUPARDO,  MAGEE, McDONOUGH, ORTIZ, THIELE -- read once and
         referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
       AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
         declaring  a policy of equal treatment in the development and enforce-
         ment of environmental laws, regulations and policies
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 1-0101 of
    2  the  environmental  conservation law is designated paragraph a and a new
    3  paragraph b is added to read as follows:
    4    B. IT IS FURTHER THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK THAT ALL  PEOPLE,
    5  REGARDLESS  OF  RACE,  CULTURE,  NATIONAL ORIGIN, INCOME OR COMMUNITY OF
    6  RESIDENCE, SHALL BE TREATED EQUALLY WITH  RESPECT  TO  THE  DEVELOPMENT,
    7  IMPLEMENTATION  AND  ENFORCEMENT  OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, REGULATIONS AND
    8  POLICIES. IT IS A BASIC RIGHT OF ALL NEW YORKERS TO  LIVE  AND  WORK  IN
    9  SAFE,  HEALTHFUL,  PRODUCTIVE  AND AESTHETICALLY AND CULTURALLY PLEASING
   10  SURROUNDINGS. THIS POLICY OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  JUSTICE  IS  BASED  ON  THE
   11  CONCEPT  OF FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE FREE FROM ANY
   12  DISPROPORTIONATE EXPOSURE OR RISK OF EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION, AND FROM THE
   13  CUMULATIVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS RESULTING FROM THE  DISPARATE  CONCENTRATION
   14  OF  POLLUTED  SITES  OR  ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES LICENSED, REGULATED OR
   15  APPROVED BY STATE AGENCIES, NOR SHOULD PEOPLE  BE  DEPRIVED  OF  LOCALLY
   16  ACCESSIBLE  OPEN  SPACE  OR  OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS DUE TO LACK OF
   17  POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC STRENGTH.
   18    S 2. The opening paragraph of subdivision 3 of section 1-0101  of  the
   19  environmental conservation law is amended to read as follows:
   20    It shall further be the policy of the state to foster, promote, create
   21  and  maintain  conditions under which [man] PEOPLE and nature can thrive
   22  in harmony with each other, and achieve social, economic and  technolog-
   23  ical progress for present and future generations by:
   24    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD03168-01-5