Senate Bill S1005

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1005

SPONSOR: YOUNG
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
proper screening of waste derived from oil and gas drilling operations
for radioactivity prior to disposal at regulated solid waste management
facilities

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill is intended to ensure that the disposal of potentially radio-
active materials from oil and gas drilling operations do not constitute
an environmental hazard when deposited in a landfill within New York.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Provides legislative findings such that solid waste manage-
ment facilities that receive waste generated from oil and gas drilling
activities should be required to implement screening and rejection
              

criteria for radioactivity as a condition to obtaining a permit to oper-
ate such a solid waste management facility.

Section 2: Provides that this act shall be known as "the oil and gas
waste management act of 2019".

Section 3: Directs the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to
incorporate screening and rejection criteria for radioactivity when
issuing a permit for any solid waste management facility that intends to
accept waste from oil and gas drilling.

Section 4: Provides for an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Lately there has been an increasing amount of concern over the potential
threats to safety from radioactive drill cuttings generated by oil and
gas operations in other states which enter into the New York waste
stream.

This legislation will mitigate the threats posed to the public under the
current system of high volume fracturing waste transport and disposal in
New York. The bill requires the incorporation of radioactive screening
and rejection criteria in solid waste facility permits for any solid
waste facility that accepts waste from oil and gas drilling activities.
It will result in the rejection of drilling wastes which do not meet the
standards imposed by the department of environmental conservation for
acceptance at a landfill in New York. Screening criteria will also
provide a clearer picture of the amount of potentially hazardous radio-
active materials which may be entering New York's waste stream.

This bill is intended to ensure that oil and waste products do not pose
an environmental danger when they come to ultimately rest in New York.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: S.568-A Referred to Environmental Conservation

2017: S.568 Reported and Committed to Rules

2016: S.3060-A Passed Senate

2015: S.3060 Passed Senate

2014: S.7311 Reported and Committed to Finance

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.