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 Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2017-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, S7913

2017-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.

2017-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
              

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