Assembly Bill A10978

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10978
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 14, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation  to  continuing  the  New
   York  state  geological  survey  as a bureau within the New York state
   science service
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 235-c
 to read as follows:
   § 235-C. NEW YORK STATE GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY.  1.  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE
 GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY,  ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR EIGHTEEN HUNDRED
 THIRTY-SIX, IS HEREBY CONTINUED AS A BUREAU ESTABLISHED IN THE NEW  YORK
 STATE  SCIENCE SERVICE ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE
 OF THIS PART WITHIN THE STATE MUSEUM TO INVENTORY, RESEARCH, ANALYZE AND
 DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL ROCKS, MINERALS, GEOLOGIC  STRUCTURES,
 STRATA,  GEOLOGIC FLUIDS AND ENERGY RESOURCES AND THE GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK
 OF NEW YORK STATE. THE NEW YORK STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SHALL:
   (A) DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN INVENTORY OF THE GEOLOGICAL  RESOURCES  OF
 NEW  YORK  STATE,  WITH  SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON IDENTIFYING THOSE RESOURCES
 THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING  THE  GEOLOGICAL  HISTORY,  GEOLOGIC
 FRAMEWORK,  GEOLOGIC HAZARDS AND POTENTIAL STRATA, ROCKS AND MINERALS OF
 ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE, OR THAT HAVE PARTICULAR  SCIENTIFIC,  SYSTEMATIC,
 OR SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE;
   (B)  CONDUCT  RESEARCH  ON AND ADVANCE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GEOLOGICAL
 MATERIALS, CHRONOLOGIC EVENTS, PLATE TECTONIC HISTORY,  GLACIAL  HISTORY
 AND  CHARACTERISTICS  AND  PROCESSES  THAT CONSTITUTE OR AFFECT NEW YORK
 STATE'S GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK AND LANDSCAPE;
   (C) INTERPRET AND PUBLISH THE RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON NEW YORK  STATE'S
 GEOLOGICAL  HISTORY,  RESOURCES,  AND  PROVIDE ADVISORY SERVICES THEREBY
 MAKING  INFORMATION  AVAILABLE  TO  CITIZENS,  TEACHERS,  INDUSTRY,  AND
 GOVERNMENT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND FOR USE IN DECISION MAKING;
   (D)  ENSURE  THE PRESERVATION AND APPROPRIATE EXPANSION OF THE STATE'S
 COLLECTION OF SCIENTIFIC SPECIMENS AND ARTIFACTS,  CONDUCT  RESEARCH  ON
 SUCH  COLLECTIONS,  AND  MAKE  SPECIMENS  AND DATA AVAILABLE FOR MINERAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15360-01-6
 A. 10978                            2
 
 RESOURCE  STUDIES,  GEOLOGIC  HAZARDS  ANALYSES,  AND   OTHER   RESEARCH
 PROJECTS;
   (E)  COOPERATE  WITH  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,
 OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND  HISTORIC  PRESERVATION,  DEPARTMENT  OF
 TRANSPORTATION,  AND OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, PRIVATE ORGANIZA-
 TIONS AND INSTITUTIONS,  CORPORATIONS,  AND  INDIVIDUALS  INTERESTED  IN
 GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES; AND
   (F) MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT STAFF WITH GEOLOGICAL EXPERTISE TO EFFECTIVELY
 MAP, STUDY, RESEARCH, AND CURATE TO PROVIDE ADVISORY SERVICES AND REMAIN
 KNOWLEDGEABLE ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE GEOLOGY OF NEW YORK STATE.
   2.  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  SHALL BE THE RECOGNIZED
 AUTHORITATIVE BUREAU WITHIN NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT TO PRODUCE GEOLOG-
 ICAL MAPS. MAP PRODUCTION SHALL OCCUR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A  LICENSED
 PROFESSIONAL  GEOLOGIST  SERVING AS THE CHIEF GEOSCIENTIST. THE NEW YORK
 STATE GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  SHALL  PRODUCE  GEOLOGICAL  MAPS  AND  CONDUCT
 GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE FOLLOWING GOALS:
   (A) ADDRESSING LONGSTANDING QUESTIONS REGARDING THE NATURAL HISTORY OF
 NEW YORK STATE AND ALIGNING WITH THE RESEARCH MISSION OF THE STATE MUSE-
 UM;
   (B)  ENGAGING  IN  THE  DISCOVERY,  CHARACTERIZATION, AND INVENTORY OF
 MINERAL RESOURCES;
   (C) PROVIDING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE PROPER-
 TY AND LIVELIHOOD OF NEW YORK STATE CITIZENS, THE STATE AND INDUSTRY;
   (D) ADDRESSING POTENTIAL  GEOLOGIC  HAZARDS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  CLIMATE
 CHANGE;
   (E)  FOSTERING  CONTINUED  EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR FUTURE GEOSCIEN-
 TISTS AND PROVIDING AN AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE OF GEOLOGIC INFORMATION  FOR
 LICENSED PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS;
   (F)  RAISING  THE  KNOWLEDGE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ENGAGE IN
 GEOSCIENCE LITERACY;
   (G)  IDENTIFYING  POTENTIAL  AGGREGATE,  BUILDING   AND   CONSTRUCTION
 RESOURCES TO SERVE AS RAW MATERIALS TO BUILD, MAINTAIN, AND REPAIR AGING
 INFRASTRUCTURE;
   (H) CHARACTERIZING THE GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK OF THE STATE TO IDENTIFY AND
 PROTECT WATER RESOURCES;
   (I) ALIGNING WITH THE STATE'S RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS; AND
   (J) LEADING TO THE DISCOVERY OF NEW SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND DATA TO
 PROMOTE  AND  ENHANCE  THE  EARTH  SCIENCE  EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN K-12
 SCHOOLS.
   3. THE NEW YORK STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SHALL  NOT  BE  AUTHORIZED  TO
 ENTER ANY PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE LAND-
 OWNER,  LESSEE,  OR  PERSON  IN  CONTROL.  THE NEW YORK STATE GEOLOGICAL
 SURVEY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH  LANDOWNERS  TO
 ENTER PRIVATE LANDS ON SUCH TERMS AS MAY BE ACCEPTABLE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.