S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2330
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. JACOBSON, DICKENS, SIMON, REYES, THIELE, GALEF,
   GOTTFRIED,  STERN,   ZEBROWSKI,   COLTON,   ENGLEBRIGHT,   MAGNARELLI,
   L. ROSENTHAL, BRABENEC, GUNTHER, LAVINE, RAMOS, SEAWRIGHT -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commis-
   sions

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the public service law, in relation to directing the
   public service commission study the feasibility and the costs of bury-
   ing all or most of the electrical, telephone and internet transmission
   lines in New York state and to publish and deliver  a  report  of  its
   findings  to the governor and the legislature, and requiring new elec-
   trical, telephone and internet transmission lines to be buried  under-
   ground
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public  service  law  is  amended  by  adding  two  new
 sections 119-d and 119-e to read as follows:
   § 119-D. BURIED LINE STUDY. 1. THE COMMISSION SHALL CONDUCT A STUDY TO
 ANALYZE THE FEASIBILITY AND THE COSTS OF BURYING UNDERGROUND ALL OR MOST
 OF THE EXISTING ELECTRICAL, TELEPHONE AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES IN
 NEW YORK STATE. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE AN ANALYSIS OF:
   (A) THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FROM BURYING SUCH EXISTING
 LINES; AND
   (B)  THE  ECONOMIC COST BURDEN OF DOING SO, IF ANY, INCLUDING AN ESTI-
 MATE OF WHAT THE COST PER UTILITY CUSTOMER WOULD BE, THE NUMBER OF  JOBS
 TO  BE  CREATED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND A TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION OF
 THE PROJECT.
   2. IN ANALYZING COSTS AND BENEFITS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY, THE
 COMMISSION SHALL CONSIDER THE VARYING GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS  OF  THE  STATE
 AND  REPORT  SEPARATELY ON THE IMPACT PARTICULAR AREAS MIGHT HAVE ON THE
 PROJECT. THE STUDY SHALL ALSO QUANTIFY THE ECONOMIC COSTS  AND  BENEFITS
 OF  BURYING  EXISTING  ELECTRICAL,  TELEPHONE  AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05957-01-1

 A. 2330                             2
 
 LINES TO UTILITY CUSTOMERS AND SHALL DISAGGREGATE THE RESULTS BY  UTILI-
 TY.   THE STUDY SHALL CALCULATE THE COST PER CUSTOMER OF THE ENTIRE COST
 OF PROJECT STATEWIDE, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE CUSTOMER  LIVES,  FOR  THE
 LIFE OF THE PROJECT ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
   3.  WITHIN  ONE  HUNDRED  EIGHTY  DAYS  OF  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL:
   (A) PUBLISH THE REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS ON ITS WEBSITE  IN  A  LOCATION
 ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND
   (B) DELIVER A COPY OF THE REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
 DENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
 ENERGY  AND  TELECOMMUNICATIONS  COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY
 ENERGY COMMITTEE.
   § 119-E. BURIED LINES. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR  REGULATION
 TO  THE  CONTRARY,  TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, ALL NEW ELECTRICAL,
 TELEPHONE AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES INSTALLED IN THE  STATE  SHALL
 BE BURIED UNDERGROUND.
   2. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ELECTRICAL, TELEPHONE
 AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES FOR WHICH PRELIMINARY PERMITS ARE ISSUED
 ON AND AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.