Int. No. 1069
By Council Members Gennaro, Cabán, Farías, Riley, Richardson Jordan, Ossé, Brewer, Ung, Restler, Gutiérrez, Menin, Nurse, Avilés, Ayala, Narcisse, Williams and Lee
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring testing at city waterfronts for harmful substances in the water and the posting of results online
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 5-a of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subchapter 5 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER 5
WATER SAFETY TESTING AT WATER FRONT PROPERTIES
§ 24-591 Water safety testing at water front properties. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Harmful algal blooms. The term “harmful algal blooms” means colonies of algae that have grown to produce toxins that can kill fish, mammals, and birds and that can cause illness or death in humans.
Harmful substances. The term “harmful substances” means harmful or objectionable substances, contaminants, and pollutants that may have an adverse impact on waters of the state, humans, and wildlife, including but not limited to harmful algal blooms and discharges of petroleum.
b. Testing. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health and mental hygiene and the commissioner of parks and recreation, shall conduct sampling and testing at water front properties to quantify the levels of harmful substances in waters abutting such properties in accordance with this section. The commissioner shall conduct such sampling and testing no less than once per week and shall determine the appropriate methods of testing.
c. Posting of water quality information online. 1. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of parks and recreation and the commissioner of health and mental hygiene, shall post conspicuously on the department’s website the results of the sampling and testing required to be conducted pursuant to subdivision b of this section within 3 days after each instance of such sampling and testing.
2. The results of such sampling and testing required to be posted online pursuant to this subdivision shall be disaggregated by:
(a) The type of harmful substance tested;
(b) The level of such harmful substance found in the sample, indicated with units of measurement as determined by the commissioner;
(c) The site where such sample was collected;
(d) The date such sample was collected; and
(e) The method of testing utilized to test for the harmful substance.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner of environmental protection shall take such measures as necessary for the implementation of this local law, including the promulgation of rules, before such date.
DPM
LS #12281
5/19/2023 11:03 AM