S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4088
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 2, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to utilizing polli-
nator friendly road maintenance techniques
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 14-a of the transportation law, as amended by chap-
ter 661 of the laws of 1972, is amended to read as follows:
§ 14-a. Preservation of agricultural lands, public park and recre-
ational lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges and historical sites. (A)
The commissioner of transportation shall cooperate and consult with the
commissioners of agriculture and markets, parks and recreation, environ-
mental conservation and health in developing transportation plans and
programs so that such programs include measures to maintain or enhance
the desirable natural characteristics of the land traversed. Such coop-
eration and consultation shall be effected and implemented by memoranda
of understanding which shall be entered into between the commissioner of
transportation and each of such commissioners. Such memoranda of under-
standing shall provide for review of proposed transportation projects by
such commissioners at all stages of progress, including preliminary and
final planning and during construction, and for the cooperation by the
department of transportation necessary to facilitate such review. Such
memoranda of understanding shall also provide that the commissioner of
transportation shall implement any suggestion or recommendation made by
any of such commissioners which he deems feasible in connection with the
preservation of agricultural lands, lands of public parks and recre-
ational areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges and historical sites.
(B) ROADS, MEDIANS AND RIGHT-OF-WAYS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE
STATE SHALL UTILIZE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY MAINTENANCE TECHNIQUES. SUCH
TECHNIQUES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PLANTING AND SEEDING
NATIVE, LOCALLY APPROPRIATE LOW-MOW OR NO MOW GRASSES AND WILDFLOWERS,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08390-01-1
S. 4088 2
IMPLEMENTING MOWING STRATEGIES THAT LIMIT DISTURBANCES DURING PERIODS OF
HIGHEST USE BY POLLINATORS, MINIMIZING THE USE OF PESTICIDES, IMPLEMENT-
ING THE APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, AND ANY OTHER
TECHNIQUE DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR POLLINATOR FRIENDLY MAINTENANCE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.