Int. No. 234
By Council Members Van Bramer, Constantinides, Johnson, Lancman, Rodriguez, Torres, Vallone, Reynoso, Koslowitz, Kallos, Crowley, Levin, Chin, Espinal and Ulrich
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to an invasive species advisory board.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding new section 18-107.1 to read as follows:
§18-107.1 Control of invasive plant species. a. There shall be established an invasive species advisory board which shall consist of eleven members who shall include the commissioner of parks and recreation or a designee, the commissioner of environmental protection or a designee, the commissioner of transportation or a designee, the director of the department of city planning or a designee, the director of the office of long term planning and sustainability, and six public members including a representative from the New York city soil and water conservation district, a specialist in terrestrial invasive species, two representatives of environmental advocacy organizations, and two representatives from the nursery industry. Representatives from the Brooklyn botanic garden, the New York botanical garden, the nature conservancy, the New York state department of environmental conservation, the United States fish and wildlife service and the United States department of agriculture shall be invited to participate but shall not be members of the advisory board. The speaker of the New York city council and the mayor shall jointly make the public members appointments.
b. The invasive species advisory board shall hold its first meeting no later than thirty days from the appointment of all its public members and at such meeting shall elect a chairperson and a secretary from its members. The advisory board shall meet at least quarterly, keep a record of its proceedings, and determine the rules of its own proceedings with special meetings to be called by the chairperson upon his or her own initiative or upon receipt of a written request signed by at least four members of the board. Written notice of the time and place of such special meetings shall be given by the secretary to each member at least two weeks before the date fixed by the notice for such special meeting.
c. The invasive species advisory board may conduct such hearings and meetings at any place or places within the city designated by the board for the purpose of obtaining necessary information or other data to assist it in the proper performance of its duties and functions as it deems necessary.
d. The invasive species advisory board shall expire, and the terms of office of its members shall terminate three years from the date that all of its public members have been appointed.
e. No later than two years from its first meeting the invasive species advisory board shall submit a written report of its findings and determinations together with its recommendations for action, to the mayor and the speaker of the council. Such report may include a list of invasive species for which the boards recommends a prohibition on the import, sale, purchase, and/or possession in the city of New York.
f. Duties of the invasive species advisory board. The invasive species advisory board shall develop recommendations for: (1) a control policy designed to eradicate, suppress, reduce or manage invasive plant species populations, including preventing the spread of invasive species where they are present, including the restoration of native species or habitats; (2) detecting and responding rapidly to and controlling populations of invasive species in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner; (3) enhancing monitoring of invasive species populations accurately and reliably; (4) restoring native species and habitat conditions in ecosystems that have been invaded and conducting research on invasive species and detection protocols to prevent introduction; (5) making taxonomic information more readily available to the public and promoting public education on invasive species control. The invasive species advisory board shall also work to foster greater coordination between agencies and the public, examine existing staff and funding resources needed to implement the proposed program and recommend ways to close any potential staff or funding gaps which could impede implementation.
§2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
LS #6
SS 2/3/14 3:12 p.m., 3/7/14, 10:18 a.m.
Int. No. 413