S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4701
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 5, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. COLTON, SCARBOROUGH, ROBERTS, WEPRIN, COOK,
ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SCHIMEL -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law and the public health
law, in relation to assigning liability to a producer for actions
leading to a public water system's failure to meet filtration avoid-
ance criteria
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
new section 23-0315 to read as follows:
S 23-0315. PRODUCER'S LIABILITY; FILTRATION ARBITRATION DETERMINATION
WAIVERS.
1. A PRODUCER, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 23-0101 OF THIS ARTICLE, GRANTED
A PERMIT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE, FOR THE EXPLORA-
TION, DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OF WELLS THAT PRODUCE OIL, GAS, SALT OR
HYDROCARBON MIXTURE, SHALL BE HELD LIABLE FOR ACTIONS, PERFORMED OR
COMPLETED WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPLORATION, DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT
OF A WELL, THAT DIRECTLY RESULT IN THE FAILURE OF A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM
TO MEET ALL OF THE EXISTING FILTRATION AVOIDANCE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY
40 C.F.R. S 141.71 AND ANY OTHER FEDERAL OR STATE RULES OR REGULATIONS,
AND FURTHER RESULTS IN THE FAILURE OF SUCH PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM TO
RECEIVE OR RENEW A FILTRATION AVOIDANCE DETERMINATION WAIVER.
2. ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
LIABLE FOR SUCH CIVIL PENALTIES OR SANCTIONS AS PROVIDED IN SECTION
71-1307 OF THIS CHAPTER, AND FOR ANY ADDITIONAL CIVIL DAMAGES OR FINES
ASSOCIATED TO SUCH VIOLATION.
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ORDER AN IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF EXPLORA-
TION, DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS WHENEVER SUCH ACTIONS ARE IN
VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. ANY ORDER ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION
SHALL BE REVIEWED UPON APPLICATION OF AN AGGRIEVED PARTY BY MEANS OF AN
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00185-01-5
A. 4701 2
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHICH ORDER SHALL BE ISSUED BY ANY JUSTICE OF THE
SUPREME COURT IN THE JUDICIAL DISTRICT IN WHICH ANY ORDER APPLIES AND
SHALL BE RETURNABLE ON THE THIRD SUCCEEDING BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING THE
ISSUANCE OF SUCH ORDER. SERVICE OF SUCH SHOW CAUSE ORDER SHALL BE MADE
UPON THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE REGION IN WHICH SUCH
ORDER APPLIES, AND UPON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY DELIVERY OF SUCH ORDER
TO AN ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL AT AN OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN
THE COUNTY IN WHICH VENUE OF THE PROCEEDING IS DESIGNATED, OR IF THERE
IS NO OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WITHIN SUCH COUNTY, AT THE OFFICE
OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NEAREST SUCH COUNTY. EXCEPT AS HEREINABOVE SPEC-
IFIED, THE PROCEEDING TO REVIEW AN ORDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY ARTICLE
SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES. NOTHING IN THIS
SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO RESTRICT THE COMMISSIONER'S ABATEMENT
POWERS AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 71-0301 AND 3-0301 OF THIS CHAPTER.
S 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 1170 to
read as follows:
S 1170. PRODUCER'S LIABILITY; FILTRATION ARBITRATION DETERMINATION
WAIVERS. 1. A PRODUCER, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 23-0101 OF THE ENVIRON-
MENTAL CONSERVATION LAW, GRANTED A PERMIT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF
SUCH CHAPTER, FOR THE EXPLORATION, DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OF WELLS THAT
PRODUCE OIL, GAS, SALT OR HYDROCARBON MIXTURE, SHALL BE HELD LIABLE FOR
ACTIONS, PERFORMED OR COMPLETED WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPLORATION,
DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OF A WELL, THAT DIRECTLY RESULT IN THE FAILURE
OF A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM TO MEET ALL OF THE EXISTING FILTRATION AVOID-
ANCE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY 40 C.F.R. S 141.71 AND ANY OTHER FEDERAL OR
STATE RULES OR REGULATIONS, AND FURTHER RESULTS IN THE FAILURE OF SUCH
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM TO RECEIVE OR RENEW A FILTRATION AVOIDANCE DETERMI-
NATION WAIVER.
2. ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
LIABLE FOR SUCH CIVIL PENALTIES OR SANCTIONS AS PROVIDED IN SECTION
71-1307 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW, AND FOR ANY ADDITIONAL
CIVIL DAMAGES OR FINES ASSOCIATED TO SUCH VIOLATION.
3. THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION SHALL ORDER AN IMME-
DIATE SUSPENSION OF EXPLORATION, DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS
WHENEVER SUCH ACTIONS ARE IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. ANY ORDER ISSUED
PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE REVIEWED UPON APPLICATION OF AN
AGGRIEVED PARTY BY MEANS OF AN ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHICH ORDER SHALL BE
ISSUED BY ANY JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT IN THE JUDICIAL DISTRICT IN
WHICH ANY ORDER APPLIES AND SHALL BE RETURNABLE ON THE THIRD SUCCEEDING
BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING THE ISSUANCE OF SUCH ORDER. SERVICE OF SUCH SHOW
CAUSE ORDER SHALL BE MADE UPON THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION FOR THE REGION IN WHICH SUCH ORDER APPLIES,
AND UPON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY DELIVERY OF SUCH ORDER TO AN ASSISTANT
ATTORNEY GENERAL AT AN OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE COUNTY IN
WHICH VENUE OF THE PROCEEDING IS DESIGNATED, OR IF THERE IS NO OFFICE OF
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WITHIN SUCH COUNTY, AT THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL NEAREST SUCH COUNTY. EXCEPT AS HEREINABOVE SPECIFIED, THE
PROCEEDING TO REVIEW AN ORDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT
OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE
CONSTRUED TO RESTRICT THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION'S
ABATEMENT POWERS AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 71-0301 AND 3-0301 OF THE ENVI-
RONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW.
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.