assembly Bill A8965

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Grants private citizens broad authorization to commence civil judicial actions under certain titles of the environmental conservation law

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Archive: Last Bill Status - On Floor Calendar


  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor Calendar
    • Passed Senate
    • Passed Assembly
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (4)
Assembly Actions - Lowercase
Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 19, 2018 advanced to third reading cal.754
Apr 17, 2018 reported
Mar 20, 2018 reported referred to codes
Jan 09, 2018 referred to environmental conservation

Co-Sponsors

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A8965 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S3269
Law Section:
Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:
Add Art 71 Title 45 §§71-4501 - 71-4513, amd §71-1311, En Con L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: A4272
2011-2012: A4656, A4801, S7814
2013-2014: A2047, S2769
2015-2016: A5802, S1087
2019-2020: A1424, S5013
2021-2022: A2261, S5394
2023-2024: A1622

A8965 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts "private environmental law enforcement act"; authorizes any private citizen who has an interest which is or may be adversely affected to commence civil judicial actions for injunctive or declaratory relief to remedy environmental harms under certain circumstances; provides that such action may be commenced against any person for any violation of an administrative or court order compelling an investigation or remediation of an inactive hazardous waste disposal site.

A8965 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


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

                                  8965

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             January 9, 2018
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Environmental Conservation

AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
  granting  private  citizens  the  right  to initiate civil enforcement
  actions for violations of such law

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

  Section 1. Article 71 of the environmental conservation law is amended
by adding a new title 45 to read as follows:
                                TITLE 45
                          PRIVATE ENVIRONMENTAL
                           LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT
SECTION 71-4501. ENFORCEMENT BY PRIVATE CITIZENS.
        71-4503. NOTICE OF ACTION.
        71-4505. INTERVENTION.
        71-4507. APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENTS.
        71-4509. COSTS, FEES AND PENALTIES.
        71-4511. APPLICABILITY IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK.
        71-4513. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
§ 71-4501. ENFORCEMENT BY PRIVATE CITIZENS.
  1.  EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN SECTION 71-4503 OF THIS TITLE, ANY
PERSON WHO HAS SUFFERED OR MAY SUFFER AN INJURY IN FACT,  REGARDLESS  OF
WHETHER SUCH INJURY IS DIFFERENT IN KIND OR DEGREE FROM THAT SUFFERED BY
THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, MAY COMMENCE A CIVIL ACTION IN A COURT OF COMPETENT
JURISDICTION  FOR INJUNCTIVE AND DECLARATORY RELIEF PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION 2 OF THIS SECTION AGAINST ANY PERSON FOR ANY VIOLATION OF AN ADMIN-
ISTRATIVE OR COURT ORDER COMPELLING THAT PERSON TO INVESTIGATE OR  REME-
DIATE  AN INACTIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL SITE PURSUANT TO TITLE 13 OF
ARTICLE 27 OF  THIS  CHAPTER,  OR  FOR  A  VIOLATION  OF  THE  FOLLOWING
PROVISIONS  OF  OR  ANY  RULE,  REGULATION, PERMIT, CERTIFICATE OR ORDER
PROMULGATED OR ISSUED PURSUANT TO:
  A. SECTION 15-0501, 15-0503 OR 15-0505 OF THIS CHAPTER; OR
  B. TITLE 27 OF ARTICLE 15 OF THIS CHAPTER; OR
  C. TITLE 5, 7, 8, 10 OR 17 OF ARTICLE 17 OF THIS CHAPTER; OR

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets