Int. No. 513
By Council Members Lander, Mark-Viverito, Eugene, James, Levin, Brewer, Dromm, Koppell, Mendez, Vann, Williams, Nelson, Chin and Gonzalez
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the creation of a citywide wildlife management plan.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter one of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-139 to read as follows:
§ 18-139 Wildlife Management Advisory Board. a. There shall be an advisory board to develop a citywide wildlife management plan.
b. Such advisory board shall consist of eleven members as follows:
i. Three members shall be appointed by the mayor, provided that at least one such member shall be from academia and have advanced specialized training in the management of wildlife in an urban setting;
ii. Three members shall be appointed by the speaker of the council, provided that at least one such member shall have five years experience working with wildlife in urban settings;
iii. The commissioners of the department of parks and recreation, the department of environmental protection, the department of health and mental hygiene, and the department of sanitation, the police department, or the designees of such commissioners, shall serve ex officio.
iv. The deputy mayor for operations, or his or her respective designee, shall serve as chairperson of the advisory board.
v. The advisory board shall invite the New York state department of agriculture and markets, the New York state department of environmental conservation, the United States department of agriculture, the United States department of the interior, the United States environmental protection agency, the federal aviation administration and any other relevant state or federal agency, as identified by such board, to participate in the development of the citywide wildlife management plan.
c. Each member, other than members serving in an ex officio capacity and any state or federal agency participants, shall serve for a term of twelve months, to commence after the final member of the advisory board is appointed. Any vacancies in the membership of the advisory board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A person filling such vacancy shall serve for the unexpired portion of the term of the succeeded member.
d. No member of the advisory board shall be removed from office except for cause and upon notice and hearing by the appropriate appointing official.
e. Members of the advisory board shall serve without compensation and shall meet as necessary.
f. At its first meeting, no later than one hundred eighty days after the enactment of this section, the advisory board shall set dates for public hearings and solicit testimony from the public and from relevant state and federal agencies on the development of a citywide wildlife management plan.
g. The advisory board shall issue a citywide wildlife management plan to the mayor and council no later than twelve months after the final member of the advisory board is appointed. Such plan shall, at a minimum, include:
i. An analysis of significant wildlife management problems;
ii. Strategies to promote biological diversity and healthy wildlife distribution;
iii. Policies to ensure that wildlife management initiatives preserve and protect the public health and safety;
iv. A description of strategies to address wildlife management problems that use the most humane treatment of wildlife feasible;
v. An assessment of the need for additional wildlife management resources;
vi. An analysis of historical, present and projected needs for the management of wildlife;
vii. A description of particular actions to be undertaken by each agency in furtherance of the wildlife management plan that use the most humane treatment of wildlife feasible;
viii. An estimation of the cost of such initiatives;
ix. Recommendations for further action regarding the management of wildlife;
h. The advisory board shall terminate upon the publication of the citywide wildlife management plan.
i. Not later than one year after the publication of the citywide wildlife management plan, and every one year thereafter, every city agency that is a member of the wildlife management advisory board or is named in the citywide wildlife management plan shall provide an update on the implementation of the relevant measures included in such plan, specific progress towards each of the plan's goals and recommendations for further action regarding the management of wildlife. Such updates shall be compiled by the department of parks and recreation and submitted in a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council.
j. All agencies shall consider the effect that their initiatives, actions, policies and programs have on wildlife in the city of New York and shall strive to ensure that such initiatives, actions, policies and programs are in furtherance of the goals of the wildlife management plan.
§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
AMS/jm
LS # 1449
3/10/11