The New York State Senate

cause irreparable harm to such water supply, or to disturb the public
peace.

This bill would define "water supply" to mean any public or private
transmission facility, treatment facility source of supply facility,
well or reservoir, which provides potable water for residential,
commercial, industrial and/or fire service needs and would define
"defiling agent" to mean any chemical, biological or radioactive
agent or substance, which is capable when introduced or placed into a
water supply, of causing the sickness, physical injury, severe
disfigurement, or death of a human being, or causing irreparable harm
to such water supply, or causing a disturbance to the public peace.
It should be noted that pursuant to the terms of this bill, a
defiling agent would not include a substance which is introduced or
placed into a water supply by any municipal or state entity, or which
is introduced or placed into a water supply by any agricultural or
industrial entity, as a result of its ordinary lawful operations.

The unlawful defilement of a water supply would be a Class B felony.

JUSTIFICATION:

Terrorism is a crime which is not just committed against the
individuals and families that are caught in its wake, but also
against all of society as a whole. It is the ultimate in senseless
violence and its purposeful disregard for the sanctity and value of
human life is well known. It is a crime which strikes at the very
basis of our free society, and it demands not only our highest
attention, but most importantly. our best efforts to secure the


highest level and swiftest form of justice that our state and nation
can provide.

By creating a new crime of unlawful defilement of a water supply in
article 490.60 of the Penal Law, this bill seeks to protect and
prevent a terrorist attack against our most important and vulnerable
resource our drinking water.

Clean, sale, potable water is indispensable to our state and society.
Because of natural conditions and the quantities consumed, its supply
is often publicly exposed an d readily accessible to those who might
wish to cause mass harm to a society. Because of its critical nature,
when even a few days interruption in its supply could be cataclysmic,
it is a highly attractive target to terrorists.

As a result, special precautions and targeted measures need to be
taken to protect and defend this precious resource. The new Class B
felony established by this bill would severely punish the poisoning
or adulteration of a water supply and will send a strong message that
New York will take whatever strong measures are necessary to protect
its citizens and their vital needs from the evils of terrorism.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2008: S.3588, Passed Senate (59-0)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

This bill would reduce costs for state and local government incurred
in the event of a water supply defilement

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act would take effect on the first day of November next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.