S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4514--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LEVENBERG, BURDICK, PAULIN, SLATER, BRABENEC,
WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental
Conservation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
establishing nutrient inactivant application permits
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 17 of the environmental conservation law is amended
by adding a new title 23 to read as follows:
TITLE 23
SPECIAL PERMITS FOR APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT
INACTIVANTS
SECTION 17-2301. DEFINITIONS.
17-2303. NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMITS.
17-2305. DENIAL OR REVOCATION OF PERMITS.
17-2307. PERMIT FEES.
17-2309. REGULATIONS.
§ 17-2301. DEFINITIONS.
AS USED IN THIS TITLE THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
MEANINGS:
1. "NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION BUSINESS" SHALL MEAN A BUSINESS
THAT COMMERCIALLY APPLIES NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS.
2. "NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS" SHALL MEAN PRODUCTS USED FOR CONTROLLING
PHOSPHORUS LEVELS IN LAKES OR PONDS TO PREVENT AND INHIBIT HARMFUL ALGAL
BLOOMS INCLUDING ALUMINUM SULFATE, SODIUM ALUMINATE, LANTHANUM, AND
OTHER SUCH PRODUCTS AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
3. "APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS" SHALL MEAN THE COMMERCIAL
APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS.
4. "NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATOR" SHALL BE A PERSON CERTIFIED BY THE
DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17-2303 OF THIS TITLE.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08549-03-5
A. 4514--A 2
5. "NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT" SHALL MEAN A SPECIAL SPDES
PERMIT ISSUED UNDER THIS TITLE FOR THE APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTI-
VANTS. SUCH PERMIT SHALL BE CONSIDERED A SPDES PERMIT ISSUED UNDER TITLE
EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE AND SHALL HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AND PRIVI-
LEGES AS A SPDES PERMIT ISSUED UNDER TITLE EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, WHERE THE REQUIREMENTS AND PRIVILEGES OF A PERMIT
ISSUED UNDER THIS TITLE IS INCONSISTENT WITH THAT OF A PERMIT ISSUED
UNDER TITLE EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE, THE REQUIREMENTS AND PRIVILEGES
DESCRIBED IN THIS TITLE SHALL APPLY.
§ 17-2303. NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMITS.
1. A PERSON WHO HAS A VALID NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER MAY ENGAGE IN THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF
NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS TITLE.
2. APPLICATION FOR A NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT SHALL BE
MADE TO THE COMMISSIONER. THE APPLICATION SHALL BE ON A FORM PRESCRIBED
BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE FEE OR FEES PROVIDED
IN SECTION 17-0821 OF THIS ARTICLE. THE APPLICATION SHALL SET FORTH THE
REASONS FOR WHY THE APPLICANT IS APPLYING FOR THE PERMIT, INCLUDING:
(A) THE WATER BODIES FOR WHICH THE APPLICANT SEEKS TO USE A NUTRIENT
INACTIVANT UNDER THE PERMIT;
(B) WHAT OTHER MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR THE CONTROL OF PHOSPHORUS
AND HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS WITH RESPECT TO THE RELEVANT WATERBODIES,
INCLUDING MECHANICAL METHODS OF CONTROL, ANY BIOLOGICAL METHODS OF
CONTROL, AND THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE MEASURES TAKEN; AND
(C) WHY THE USE OF A NUTRIENT INACTIVANT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE
THAN OTHER METHODS OF CONTROL.
3. AN APPLICANT FOR A NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT SHALL:
(A) PROVIDE PROOF TO THE COMMISSIONER OF SUCH APPLICANT'S KNOWLEDGE OF
THE SAFE AND PROPER USE, HANDLING, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF NUTRIENT
INACTIVANTS AND APPLICATION EQUIPMENT AND/OR SATISFY THE COMMISSIONER AS
TO THE APPLICANT'S KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE CONCERNING THE PROPER USE,
HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS AND APPLICATION
EQUIPMENT; AND
(B) BE A CERTIFIED PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, AS PROVIDED IN SECTION
33-0905 OF THIS CHAPTER, QUALIFIED TO APPLY PESTICIDES TO STANDING OR
RUNNING WATER, AND BE EMPLOYED BY, OR THE OWNER OR AGENT OF A REGISTERED
PESTICIDE BUSINESS OR AGENCY.
4. NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMITS SHALL BE VALID FOR THREE
YEARS AFTER WHICH EVERY PERMIT MUST BE RENEWED.
5. A PERSON WITH A VALID NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT SHALL
MAINTAIN SUCH RECORDS AND SHALL FURNISH SUCH REPORTS CONCERNING THE
APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE.
ALL RECORDS REQUIRED TO BE KEPT UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY THE COMMISSIONER.
§ 17-2305. DENIAL OR REVOCATION OF PERMITS.
THE COMMISSIONER, AFTER DUE NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING TO AN
APPLICANT OR PERSON WITH A VALID NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT,
MAY DENY AN APPLICATION OR REVOKE A PERMIT PURSUANT TO TITLE EIGHT OF
THIS ARTICLE.
§ 17-2307. PERMIT FEES.
ALL FEES ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER PURSUANT TO THIS TITLE SHALL
BE THE SAME AS THOSE ESTABLISHED BY SECTION 17-0821 OF THIS ARTICLE.
§ 17-2309. REGULATIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS TITLE.
A. 4514--A 3
§ 2. Section 33-0103 of the environmental conservation law is amended
by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. THIS ARTICLE SHALL NOT APPLY TO THE APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTI-
VANTS, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION 17-2301 OF THIS CHAPTER, BY A
PERSON HOLDING A NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT UNDER TITLE
TWENTY-THREE OF ARTICLE SEVENTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER SO LONG AS SUCH NUTRI-
ENT INACTIVANTS ARE BEING APPLIED IN COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH TITLE.
§ 3. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
section 17-0833 to read as follows:
§ 17-0833. SPDES PERMITS; NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION PERMIT.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS TITLE, NUTRIENT INACTIVANT APPLICATION
PERMITS ISSUED UNDER TITLE TWENTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE CONSID-
ERED A SPECIAL TYPE OF SPDES PERMIT. SPDES PERMITS SHALL NOT BE ISSUED
FOR THE APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN
SECTION 17-2301 OF THIS ARTICLE, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER TITLE
TWENTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.
§ 4. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
section 71-1947 to read as follows:
§ 71-1947. ENFORCEMENT OF TITLE 23 OF ARTICLE 17.
ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES ANY PROVISION OF TITLE 23 OF ARTICLE 17 OR ANY
RULE, REGULATION OR ORDER ISSUED THEREUNDER SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS STATE FOR A CIVIL PENALTY OF UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR A FIRST VIOLATION TO BE ASSESSED BY THE COMMISSIONER AFTER A HEARING
OR OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF THE PENALTY,
THE COMMISSIONER SHALL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHETHER THE VIOLATION POSED AN
IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE
PUBLIC. ANY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION OF THIS TITLE AND/OR ANY PROVISION OF
THIS ARTICLE AS IT RELATES TO THE APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT INACTIVANTS
SHALL BE TREATED AS A VIOLATION TO WHICH SECTION 71-1929 OF THIS TITLE
APPLIES.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day
after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,
amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be
made and completed on or before such effective date.