S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10900--A
I N A S S E M B L Y
August 17, 2020
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Jacobson,
Dickens, Simon, Reyes, Thiele, Galef, Gottfried, Stern, Zebrowski,
D'Urso, Colton, Englebright, Magnarelli, L. Rosenthal, Brabenec) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities
and Commissions -- reported and referred to the Committee on Rules --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to directing the
public service commission study the feasibility and the costs of bury-
ing all or most of the electrical, telephone and internet transmission
lines in New York state and to publish and deliver a report of its
findings to the governor and the legislature, and requiring new elec-
trical, telephone and internet transmission lines to be buried under-
ground
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding two new
sections 119-d and 119-e to read as follows:
§ 119-D. BURIED LINE STUDY. 1. THE COMMISSION SHALL CONDUCT A STUDY TO
ANALYZE THE FEASIBILITY AND THE COSTS OF BURYING UNDERGROUND ALL OR MOST
OF THE EXISTING ELECTRICAL, TELEPHONE AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES IN
NEW YORK STATE. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE AN ANALYSIS OF:
(A) THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FROM BURYING SUCH EXISTING
LINES; AND
(B) THE ECONOMIC COST BURDEN OF DOING SO, IF ANY, INCLUDING AN ESTI-
MATE OF WHAT THE COST PER UTILITY CUSTOMER WOULD BE, THE NUMBER OF JOBS
TO BE CREATED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND A TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION OF
THE PROJECT.
2. IN ANALYZING COSTS AND BENEFITS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY, THE
COMMISSION SHALL CONSIDER THE VARYING GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF THE STATE
AND REPORT SEPARATELY ON THE IMPACT PARTICULAR AREAS MIGHT HAVE ON THE
PROJECT. THE STUDY SHALL ALSO QUANTIFY THE ECONOMIC COSTS AND BENEFITS
OF BURYING EXISTING ELECTRICAL, TELEPHONE AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION
LINES TO UTILITY CUSTOMERS AND SHALL DISAGGREGATE THE RESULTS BY UTILI-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD17082-02-0
A. 10900--A 2
TY. THE STUDY SHALL CALCULATE THE COST PER CUSTOMER OF THE ENTIRE COST
OF PROJECT STATEWIDE, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE CUSTOMER LIVES, FOR THE
LIFE OF THE PROJECT ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
3. WITHIN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL:
(A) PUBLISH THE REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS ON ITS WEBSITE IN A LOCATION
ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND
(B) DELIVER A COPY OF THE REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
DENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY
ENERGY COMMITTEE.
§ 119-E. BURIED LINES. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION
TO THE CONTRARY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, ALL NEW ELECTRICAL,
TELEPHONE AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES INSTALLED IN THE STATE SHALL
BE BURIED UNDERGROUND.
2. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ELECTRICAL, TELEPHONE
AND INTERNET TRANSMISSION LINES FOR WHICH PRELIMINARY PERMITS ARE ISSUED
ON AND AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.