Assembly Bill A11594

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  11594

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              June 29, 2010
                               ___________

Introduced  by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Weisenberg)
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental  Conserva-
  tion

AN  ACT to establish a task force to examine, assess and report upon the
  potential effects of an offshore oil spill on Long Island

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. A task force is hereby established to examine, evaluate and
make recommendations concerning the potential effects of an offshore oil
spill  on  the  counties  of Nassau and Suffolk. Such task force, to the
maximum extent  practicable,  shall  coordinate  with  and  utilize  the
resources  of  the  Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. The task force shall direct its attention to the  poten-
tial  effects  of  an  offshore  oil spill on the counties of Nassau and
Suffolk relating to:
  (a) Evaluating the probability of an offshore oil spill occurring that
will affect the counties of Nassau and Suffolk;
  (b) Evaluating the consequences of an  offshore  oil  spill  on  busi-
nesses,  residents,  wildlife,  fishing  and  tourism in the counties of
Nassau and Suffolk;
  (c) Evaluating the commercial, legal and environmental impacts  caused
by an offshore oil spill on the counties of Nassau and Suffolk; and
  (d)  Examining methodologies which may prevent offshore oil spills and
those that would mitigate the effects of such an oil spill on the  coun-
ties of Nassau and Suffolk.
  S  2. (a) The task force shall consist of 9 members to be appointed as
follows:
  (i) one member appointed by the commissioner of environmental  conser-
vation;
  (ii) one member appointed by the attorney general;
  (iii)  one  member  appointed  by  the director of the state emergency
management office;
  (iv) one member appointed by the commissioner of parks, recreation and
historic preservation;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD17834-02-0

A. 11594                            2

  (v) one member appointed by the state comptroller;
  (vi) one member appointed by the governor;
  (vii) one member appointed by the commissioner of transportation;
  (viii) one member appointed by majority vote of the county legislature
of the county of Nassau; and
  (ix)  one  member appointed by majority vote of the county legislature
of the county of Suffolk.
  (b) The chair of the task force shall be elected  by  the  task  force
from  amongst  its  membership.  Vacancies in the membership of the task
force shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
  S 3. The task force shall meet within the  state,  shall  hold  public
hearings and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursu-
ant to the legislative law.
  S  4.  The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for
their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
  S 5. To the maximum extent feasible, the task force shall be  entitled
to  request  and  receive,  and  shall utilize and be provided with such
facilities, resources and  data  of  any  department,  division,  board,
bureau,  commission  or agency of the state or any political subdivision
thereof as it may reasonably request to properly carry out its duties.
  S 6. The task force shall submit a written report, to the governor and
the legislature, of its findings, conclusions and recommendations within
120 days of the effective date of this act.  The  written  report  shall
include  such  legislative  proposals as it deems necessary to implement
its recommendations.
  S 7. This act shall take effect immediately.