S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1494
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 12, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, GUNTHER, TITONE, JAFFEE, ZEBROWSKI,
ROSENTHAL, CAHILL, ABINANTI, WEPRIN, LIFTON, COLTON -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
declaring the waters of the state as public trust resources
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 13 of section 15-0103 of the environmental
conservation law is amended to read as follows:
13. ALL THE WATERS OF THIS STATE ARE DEEMED TO BE PUBLIC TRUST
RESOURCES. THE WATERS OF THE STATE ARE VALUABLE PUBLIC NATURAL RESOURCES
AND THIS STATE HAS A DUTY AS TRUSTEE TO CONSERVE AND MANAGE ITS WATERS
EFFECTIVELY FOR THE USE AND ENJOYMENT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE INHABITANTS
AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT. It is in the best interest of
the state that provision be made for the regulation and supervision of
activities that deplete, defile, damage or otherwise adversely affect
the waters of the state and land resources associated therewith.
§ 2. The opening paragraph of section 15-0105 of the environmental
conservation law is amended to read as follows:
In recognition THAT THE WATERS OF THE STATE ARE PUBLIC TRUST
RESOURCES, AND IN RECOGNITION of its sovereign duty to conserve and
control its water resources for the benefit of all inhabitants of the
state, it is hereby declared to be the public policy of the state of New
York that:
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05576-01-7