Bill Text: NY K02406 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 8, 2024, as Dragonfly Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-06-05 - adopted [K02406 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K02406-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 2406

BY: M. of A. Rules (Thiele)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 8, 2024, as Dragonfly Day in the State  of  New
        York

  WHEREAS,  The  State  of  New  York takes great pride in recognizing
official days established to increase awareness of serious issues; and

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this  Legislative  Body  to  memorialize
Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim Saturday, June 8, 2024, as Dragonfly
Day in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, Dragonflies are a  sentinel  species;  their  presence  (or
absence)  is  indicative  of  the  health of our wetland ecosystems, and
whether harmful chemicals such as  pesticides,  nitrogen,  or  bacterial
contamination and pathogens, are present; and

  WHEREAS, Efforts to control mosquito populations with pesticides and
wetland  modifications disrupt marine and terrestrial food webs; certain
forms of wetland modifications may compromise the ability of wetlands to
remain resilient to the impacts of climate  change;  more  science-based
studies are needed; and

  WHEREAS,  Ecosystem services include: flood and storm water control,
surface and  ground  water  protection,  carbon  sequestration,  erosion
control,  water  and  air  filtration,  flood  and extreme weather event
buffers, habitat for a range of plant and animal  species,  as  well  as
providing food and spawning; and

  WHEREAS,  Wetlands  are  compromised  when  infrastructure  is built
directly adjacent to wetland areas; coastal wetlands need room to expand
and migrate inland as the sea level  rises  and  severe  weather  events
increase; and

  WHEREAS,  Developments  on tidal wetlands, dredging and hardening of
the shoreline prevent important tidal flows that  are  part  of  dynamic
sediment  systems  needed  to sustain wetland areas; reduced tidal flows
mean reductions  in  ecosystem  services  such  as  sediment  retention,
nutrient  and  organic matter recycling, storm, flood and sea level rise
buffers; and

  WHEREAS, Healthy tidal and  freshwater  wetlands  not  only  provide
ecosystem   services,  habitat  and  sources  of  food  for  marine  and
terrestrial animals, but provide resiliency  to  our  coastal  areas  by
absorbing   wave   energy,   storm   surges  and  floodwater  protecting
infrastructure and saving lives; and

  WHEREAS, Freshwater wetland areas that are polluted by storm runoff,
mowed  or  modified  will  have  diminished   ecosystem   services   and
biodiversity  loss  and  may become breeding grounds of new vector borne
diseases that flourish as temperatures increase in the years ahead; and

  WHEREAS, Scientific nature-based solutions offer powerful tools  for
addressing  climate  change  related  hazards including biodiversity and

ecosystem  loss;  dragonflies  like  damselflies,  birds  and  bats  are
voracious predators but they are diminishing in numbers; and

  WHEREAS,  It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this serious issue, and more must be done to protect wetland  ecosystems
and  dragonfly  habitat  at  the  local, State and national levels; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 8, 2024, as Dragonfly
Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.