File #: Int 1067-2024    Version: Name: Flood adaptation assistance, and creating a southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force, and to repeal section 24-530.1 of such code, relating to the southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force upon the expiration thereof.
Type: Introduction Status: Laid Over in Committee
Committee: Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts
On agenda: 9/26/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing information related to flood adaptation assistance, and creating a southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force, and to repeal section 24-530.1 of such code, relating to the southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force upon the expiration thereof
Sponsors: Nantasha M. Williams, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Farah N. Louis, Shahana K. Hanif, Adrienne E. Adams, Linda Lee, James F. Gennaro, Tiffany Cabán, Mercedes Narcisse
Council Member Sponsors: 9
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to report on the status of any studies it is involved in relating to groundwater levels in Southeast Queens. This bill also creates an interagency task force to recommend changes in law regarding flooding adaptation assistance in Southeast Queens. Such task force would disband upon the submission of its fifth annual report. Additionally, the bill would require DEP to administer a partnership program that would facilitate information sharing regarding flooding conditions and sewer infrastructure with organizations that provide flood adaptation assistance to NYC homeowners. Finally, the bill would require the Department of Buildings to answer questions and provide information about flood-related retrofits, repairs, and renovations at their monthly information sessions, and provide flood adaptation assistance resource guides authored by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Indexes: Agency Rule-making Required, Council Appointment Required, Other Appointment Required, Report Required, Sunset Date Applies
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1067-B, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1067-A, 3. Summary of Int. No. 1067, 4. Int. No. 1067, 5. September 26, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 6. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-26-24, 7. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - September 26, 2024, 8. Proposed Int. No. 1067-A - 10/25/24, 9. Committee Report 10/28/24, 10. Hearing Testimony 10/28/24, 11. Hearing Transcript 10/28/24, 12. Proposed Int. No. 1067-B - 5/22/25

Proposed Int. No. 1067-B

 

By Council Members Williams, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Hanif, The Speaker (Council Member Adams), Lee, Gennaro, Cabán and Narcisse

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing information related to flood adaptation assistance, and creating a southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force, and to repeal section 24-530.1 of such code, relating to the southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force upon the expiration thereof

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision b of section 24-530 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 56 for the year 2017, is amended to read as follows:

b. By no later than [six] 6 months after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the first fiscal year that commences more than [one] 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the department of environmental protection shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council a report on progress in implementing the plan required by subdivision a of this section during the prior fiscal year. Each such report shall include, but not be limited to, a description of any changes to such plan, a description of any changes in funds committed by or on behalf of the city in furtherance of such plan [and], a description of all funds expended by or on behalf of the city in furtherance of such plan, and an update on progress made in any studies in which the department of environmental protection is participating related to groundwater levels and flooding in Queens community districts 12 and 13.

§ 2. Chapter 5 of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 24-530.1 to read as follows:

§ 24-530.1 Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the term “southeast Queens” means Queens community districts 8, 10, 12, and 13.

b. There shall be an interagency task force to recommend changes to the laws, regulations, and policies that could facilitate the implementation of measures to mitigate vulnerability to flooding of real property in southeast Queens.

c. The task force shall consist of the following members:

1. The commissioner of buildings, or such commissioner’s designee;

2. The commissioner of environmental protection, or such commissioner’s designee;

3. The commissioner of housing preservation and development, or such commissioner’s designee;

4. One member appointed by the public advocate; and

5. Three members appointed by the speaker of the council.

d. The chair of such task force shall be the commissioner of environmental protection or such commissioner’s designee.

e. The task force shall invite representatives from relevant city and state agencies, elected officials and advocacy organizations, as identified by the task force, to provide feedback on  measures that mitigate vulnerability to flooding of real property in southeast Queens.

f. All members of the task force appointed by the public advocate and by the speaker of the council shall be appointed within 60 days of the effective date of the local law that added this section. Such members shall serve without compensation, except that each such member shall be allowed actual and necessary expenses to be audited in the same manner as other city expenses. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

g. The task force shall meet at least 2 times per year and shall convene an annual public hearing in southeast Queens.

h. No later than 1 year after the appointment of the final member of the task force, and annually thereafter, the task force shall issue a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council detailing its activities and recommendations, which shall be made publicly available on the department of environmental protection’s website.

§ 3. Chapter 5 of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 24-534 to read as follows:

§ 24-534 Flooding adaptation assistance partnership program. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Department. The term “department” means the department of environmental protection.

Flooding adaptation assistance. The term “flooding adaptation assistance” means measures that mitigate the risk of repetitive flood damage to real property.

Homeowner. The term “homeowner” has the same meaning as set forth in subdivision a of section 1807 of the charter.

Partner organization. The term “partner organization” means any organization providing flooding adaptation assistance programs to homeowners.

b. The department shall develop and administer a voluntary flood adaptation assistance partnership program to facilitate information sharing between the department and partner organizations. As part of such program, unless otherwise proscribed by law and pursuant to a request for information or data, the department shall share with a participating partner organization such information or data responsive to such request, including but not limited to, sewer drainage plans, water and sewer maps, sewer as-built drawings, tap and sewer cards, groundwater table levels, and any other such information responsive to such request to facilitate the administration of such partner organization’s flood adaptation assistance program.

c. The department shall prescribe by rule the criteria and process for a partner organization to apply to such partnership program, and any other requirements for participating in such program. Such requirements for participation may include, but are not limited to: the provision of certain information; or the signing of certain agreements, such as a non-disclosure agreement, before sharing certain information with any such partner organization.  

d. Nothing in this section shall alter any rights or privileges under article 6 of the public officers law, and nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the disclosure of any plan, map, drawing, or information that would not otherwise be required to be disclosed under article 6 of the public officers law.

§ 4. Title 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 36 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 36

FLOODING ADAPTATION INFORMATION SESSIONS

§ 26-3601 Flooding adaptation information sessions. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the term “department” means the department of buildings.

b. The department shall provide information and respond to questions regarding the regulatory and permitting process applicable to flood-related home repairs, renovations, and retrofit projects at the public information sessions conducted by such department each month at each of such department’s borough offices.

c. The department of housing preservation and development, in collaboration with the office of long-term planning and sustainability established pursuant to section 20 of the charter, shall develop resources that include, but need not be limited to, information about flood-related assistance programs for homeowners administered by federal, state, or city agencies, or by not-for-profit organizations. The department of housing preservation and development shall update information provided in such resources as necessary to maintain accuracy, and make such resources available on the department of housing preservation and development’s website as well as in printed form at the information sessions required by subdivision b of this section. Such information may be provided as part of other similar webpages or guides provided by the department of housing preservation and development.

§ 5. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law, except that subdivision c of section 26-3601 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by section four of this local law, takes effect 270 days after it becomes law, and section two of this local law expires and is deemed repealed upon the submission of the fifth annual report required by subdivision h of section 24-530.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by such section two, upon which submission the interagency task force shall notify the corporation counsel, who shall notify the New York state legislative bill drafting commission, in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective database of the laws of the city of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 70-b of the public officers law, and the corporation counsel shall notify relevant publishers in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 7-1111 of the administrative code of the city of New York, provided that failure to provide the notification described in this section shall not affect the effective date of any section of this local law.

CCM/APM/NNB

LS #17029

5/20/2025 11:18 PM