Enacts the wetlands homeowner's relief act; provides that a homeowner who currently lives within a wetlands designated area shall not have to apply for a building permit for use of land within a fifty foot periphery of the house and garage; provides that new maps may not be issued without prior approval from the legislature; prohibits DEC from delineating wetlands beyond the boundaries shown on official wetlands maps.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6165
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 26, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LEMONDES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
enacting the wetlands homeowner's relief act
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "wetlands
homeowner's relief act".
§ 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
section 24-0303 to read as follows:
§ 24-0303. HOMEOWNERS; WETLANDS.
1. A HOMEOWNER WHO CURRENTLY LIVES WITHIN A WETLANDS DESIGNATED AREA
SHALL NOT HAVE TO APPLY FOR BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT
FOR USE OF LAND WITHIN FIFTY FEET FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SUCH HOMEOWNER'S
HOUSE AND GARAGE.
2. ONCE THE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A WETLANDS MAP FOR ANY GIVEN
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, A NEW MAP SHALL NOT BE ISSUED WITHOUT APPROVAL BY THE
LEGISLATURE.
3. THE DEPARTMENT IS PROHIBITED FROM DELINEATING WETLANDS BEYOND THE
BOUNDARIES OF MAPPED WETLANDS SHOWN ON THE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICIAL
WETLANDS MAPS.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08693-01-5
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