Senate Bill S7389

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7389

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to enacting the
"safe water infrastructure action program act"

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill would implement a new companion CHIPS-style drinking water
and sanitary sewer infrastructure program that would provide annual
funding to municipalities to swap out old, deteriorating pipes and
water mains.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 120-dd to
read as follows:

§ 120-dd. Safe water infrastructure action program.

1. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary,
and subject to an appropriation in an amount no less than two hundred
million dollars annually made therefor and in accordance with the
provisions of this section and with the rules and regulations
promulgated by the commissioner of transportation in connection
              

therewith, on and after the first day of April, a safe water
infrastructure action program is hereby established for the purpose of
making payments toward the maintenance and/or repair of water systems,
as defined by paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section one hundred
twenty-u of this article, and sewage systems. The commissioner of
transportation, in conjunction with the environmental facilities
corporation, shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to
carry out the program so that an equitable distribution of aid shall
be made for the maintenance and/or repair of any such water systems
and sewage systems.

2. On or before the twenty-fifth day of April, June, September, and
November of each state fiscal year commencing with the state fiscal
year beginning on April first, two thousand seventeen there shall be
distributed and paid to counties, cities, towns and villages an amount
equal to the monies appropriated for the purpose of this section
divided by the number of payment dates in that state fiscal year.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Several examples of our aging infrastructure have recently been
manifested in the form of unsafe drinking water, transmission pipe
bursts, and sewer line collapses throughout the state.

An aging infrastructure is not only costly to our localities and a
threat to public safety; it is also an impediment to economic
development. Communities facing severe fiscal constraints cannot
absorb the financial burden of the frequent and disruptive breaks
associated with an aged and deteriorating water and sewer
infrastructure.

In too many instances, our state could be throwing good money after
bad to maintain our roadways without regard to what dangers lay
beneath the surface.

Like the current CHIPS Program, the "SWAP" Program will provide our
towns and municipalities an annual funding source to maintain these
systems which in many cases are more than 100 years old.

 BILL HISTORY :
New Bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Minimal

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.