S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1614
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to establish the New York state reforest, restore and sustainable
agriculture commission
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The state of New York, the nation and
the world are facing a climate emergency. There has been a dramatic loss
of forests and ecological habitat worldwide. A summary report issued in
May 2019 by the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversi-
ty and ecosystem services of the United Nations concludes that human
activity is leading an unprecedented number of species into extinction
which are critical for human survival. Human-made climate change is a
result of increased greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide. Forests
and other ecosystems act as natural carbon sinks, which absorb carbon
and reduce the impact of climate change. The commission shall seek to
find out the extent of such loss and to make recommendations for their
preservation, conservation, mitigation, restoration and expansion for
the purpose of stopping climate catastrophe, ensuring clean water, air
and land for the public health and strong economy, promoting outdoor
recreation and preserving our natural resources and cultural heritage.
§ 2. A temporary state commission, to be known as the New York state
reforest, restore and sustainable agriculture commission, hereafter
referred to as the commission, is hereby created to evaluate and make
recommendations concerning the reforestation and restoration of forests
and ecological habitats in the state of New York.
§ 3. (a) The commission shall consist of seventeen members, to be
appointed as follows: four members to be appointed by the governor;
three members to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
three members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one member
to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; one member to be
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04188-01-5
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appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; one member to be
appointed by the commissioner of environmental conservation or such
commissioner's designee; one member to be appointed by the commissioner
of agriculture and markets or such commissioner's designee; one member
to be appointed by the commissioner of the office of parks, recreation
and historic preservation or such commissioner's designee; one member to
be appointed by the executive director of the Adirondack park agency or
such executive director's designee; and one member to be appointed by
the director of the canal corporation or such director's designee. The
governor shall designate the chairperson of the commission. Vacancies in
the membership of the commission and among its officers shall be filled
in the manner provided for original appointments or designations.
(b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties under this act. The commis-
sion may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as it may deem
necessary for the performance of its functions and fix their compen-
sation within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor.
(c) The department of environmental conservation shall provide the
commission such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the
commission to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other
departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof shall, at
the request of the chairperson, provide the commission such facilities,
assistance, and data as will enable the commission to carry out its
powers and duties.
§ 4. The commission shall evaluate and make recommendations on the
following three major areas:
(a) Forests and ecological habitats. Explore the extent of loss or
degradation of forests and ecological habitats, including wildlife, both
flora and fauna in the state of New York and find ways to mitigate,
restore and prevent future loss and degradation of such forests and
habitats.
(b) Preservation and restoration of other natural resources and
ecological habitats, including both flora and fauna wildlife, in the
state of New York. The commission shall research the loss and degrada-
tion of natural resources other than forests, including wetlands,
streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, coastlines, waterways, grasslands and
open spaces generally. Open space shall be defined as an area of land or
water that either remains in its natural state or is used for agricul-
ture, free from intensive development for residential, commercial,
industrial or institutional use. Open space can be publicly or privately
owned and shall include agricultural and forest land, undeveloped coas-
tal and estuarine lands, undeveloped scenic lands, public parks and
preserves. It shall also include bodies of water such as lakes and bays.
(c) Sustainable agriculture. The commission shall investigate various
forms of sustainable agriculture as defined in 7 USC 3103 as an inte-
grated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-
specific application that will over the long term satisfy human food and
fiber needs, enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base
upon which the agricultural economy depends, make efficient use of
nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appro-
priate, natural biological cycles and controls, sustain the economic
viability of farm operations and enhance the quality of life for farmers
and society overall. The basic goals of sustainable agriculture shall be
environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic
equity, seek to better the conditions and treatment of farmworkers,
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including migrant workers, improve the humane treatment of farm animals,
and explore "carbon farming", which shall mean farming methods which
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or capture and hold carbon in vege-
tation and soils. Carbon farming shall cover small changes in land
management, such as introducing no-till cropping, stubble retention,
agroforestry, or methane-reducing feed supplements.
§ 5. (a) For the accomplishment of its purposes, the commission may
meet and hold public and/or private hearings within or without the
state, and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant
to the legislative law. The commission is authorized and empowered to
undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may deem rele-
vant through its own personnel or in cooperation with or by agreement
with any other public or private agency.
(b) To the maximum extent feasible, the commission may request and
shall be entitled to receive and shall utilize and be provided with such
facilities, resources and data from any court in the state and from any
subdivision, department, board, bureau, commission, office, agency or
other instrumentality of the state or of any political subdivision ther-
eof as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its
powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act.
(c) The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into
any agreements and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary,
desirable or proper to carry out the purposes and objectives of this
act.
§ 6. The commission shall make recommendations and a report of its
findings. The commission shall submit such recommendations and report
developed by it relating to issues involving: (a) the reforestation and
restoration of forests and ecological habitats in the state of New York;
(b) the preservation and restoration of other natural resources and
ecological habitats, including wildlife, both flora and fauna, in the
state of New York; and (c) the promotion of sustainable agriculture in
the state of New York. The report shall include any recommendations for
legislative action as it may deem necessary and appropriate, to the
governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the
assembly no later than December 1, 2026.
§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately.