* § 147. Farmland protection working group. 1. There is hereby created
in the executive department a farmland protection working group
consisting of appropriate stakeholders, including but not limited to:

(a) the commissioner of the department of agriculture and markets;

(b) the commissioner of the department of environmental conservation;

(c) the executive director of ORES;

(d) the chief executive officer of the department of public service;

(e) the president of the New York state energy research and
development authority;

(f) local government officials or representatives from municipal
organizations representing towns, villages, and counties; and

(g) representatives from at least two county agricultural and farmland
protection boards.

2. The working group shall, no later than one year after the effective
date of this article, recommend strategies to encourage and facilitate
input from municipalities in the siting process of major renewable
energy facilities and major electric transmission facilities and to
develop recommendations that include approaches to recognize the value
of viable agricultural land and methods to minimize adverse impacts to
any such land resulting from the siting of major renewable energy
facilities and major electric transmission facilities.

3. The working group, on call of the commissioner of the department of
agriculture and markets, shall meet at least three times each year and
at such other times as may be necessary.

* NB Repealed December 31, 2040