S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         4940
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                    April 24, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
       AN ACT relating to establishing the flood mitigation and prevention task
         force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration
         thereof
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  1. There is hereby established in the department of envi-
    2  ronmental conservation a flood  mitigation  and  prevention  task  force
    3  ("task  force")  to  consist of eleven members who shall be appointed as
    4  follows:
    5    (a) the commissioner of  environmental  conservation  or  his  or  her
    6  designee;
    7    (b) the commissioner of general services or his or her designee;
    8    (c) the commissioner of the department of transportation or his or her
    9  designee;
   10    (d)  the  director  of the state emergency management office or his or
   11  her designee;
   12    (e) the commissioner of the New York state division of homeland  secu-
   13  rity and emergency services or his or her designee;
   14    (f) two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   15    (g) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
   16    (h) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
   17    (i)  two  members  to  be  appointed by the temporary president of the
   18  senate;
   19    2. The at-large  members  should  include  individuals  who  represent
   20  flood-prone municipalities and counties.
   21    3. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their services
   22  but  shall  be reimbursed for actual, necessary expenses incurred in the
   23  performance of their duties.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00365-01-5
       S. 4940                             2
    1    4. The chairperson of the task force  shall  be  the  commissioner  of
    2  environmental  conservation or his or her designee. The task force shall
    3  meet no less than four times at the call of the chairperson.
    4    5.  Any  vacancies  on  the  task  force shall be filled in the manner
    5  provided for in the initial appointment.
    6    6. The task force shall be authorized  to  hold  public  hearings  and
    7  meetings to enable it to accomplish its duties.
    8    7.  The  task  force  may  consult  with any organization, educational
    9  institution, other government entity or agency or person including,  but
   10  not  limited  to, the army corps of engineers, in the development of the
   11  report required by subdivision 10 of this section.
   12    8. The department of environmental conservation shall provide the task
   13  force with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the  task
   14  force  to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agen-
   15  cies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at  the  request  of  the
   16  chairperson, provide the task force with such facilities, assistance and
   17  data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.
   18    9.  The purpose of the flood mitigation/prevention task force shall be
   19  to evaluate ways of protecting New York's communities and residents from
   20  flooding, including inland flooding, and  applying  the  best  available
   21  science and research to examine flooding-related issues and impacts.
   22    10.  No later than December 31, 2017, the task force shall transmit to
   23  the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the  speaker  of
   24  the assembly a report containing:
   25    (a) an assessment of the extent and magnitude of the problem statewide
   26  caused  by flooding, including identifying those regions and populations
   27  most affected by flooding;
   28    (b) criteria and guidelines for identifying and  prioritizing  regions
   29  and projects most in need of mitigation;
   30    (c)  identification  of existing and emerging technologies, strategies
   31  and concepts which can mitigate the impact of  flooding  on  populations
   32  and infrastructure;
   33    (d)  identification  of  potential funding sources to support residen-
   34  tial, commercial and public mitigation efforts;
   35    (e) research projects or studies to  better  understand  how  flooding
   36  affects the geography and the population of this state; and
   37    (f)  recommendations  to the governor and the state legislature on how
   38  the state can best use its resources to assist flood-prone counties  and
   39  municipalities to prevent or mitigate the effects of flooding.
   40    S  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
   41  deemed repealed January 1, 2018.