New York S 4988: Relates to a smart irrigation device rebate pilot program in Nassau and Suffolk counties

Bill Text

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S04988 Summary:

BILL NOS04988 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORBYNOE

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Amd §15-0601, add §15-0609, En Con L

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Creates a smart irrigation device rebate pilot program in Nassau and Suffolk counties to provide rebates for devices used for the irrigation of stormwater and the monitoring of local weather data to automatically alter irrigation schedules based on such data in order to manage water use and improve conservation efforts.

Go to top S04988 Actions:

BILL NOS04988 

&nbsp

02/14/2025REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Go to topS04988 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS04988 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS04988 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 4988

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 February 14, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. BYNOE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

 AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to a
 smart irrigation device rebate pilot program in Nassau and Suffolk
 counties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the
 expiration thereof

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 15-0601 of the environmental conservation law is
 2 amended by adding four new subdivisions 4, 5, 6 and 7 to read as
 3 follows:
 4 4. "Resident applicant" shall mean a resident of Nassau county or
 5 Suffolk county owning or residing in a one to four family home.
 6 5. "Commercial applicant" shall mean a commercial business, private
 7 school, university, not-for-profit corporation, or other nonprofit
 8 organization located within Nassau or Suffolk counties.
 9 6. "Eligible smart irrigation device" shall mean a smart irrigation
 10 device that is new, has not been used or previously owned, and is
 11 purchased from a storefront or online retailer.
 12 7. "Smart irrigation device" shall mean any device which is intended
 13 to be used or is actually used for the irrigation of stormwater and the
 14 monitoring of local weather data to automatically alter irrigation sche-
 15 dules based on such data, and shall include such devices as smart irri-
 16 gation controllers and smart sprinkler systems.
 17 § 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
 18 section 15-0609 to read as follows:
 19 § 15-0609. Smart irrigation device rebate pilot program in Nassau and
 20 Suffolk counties.
 21 1. There is hereby created within the department a smart irrigation
 22 device rebate pilot program. The legislature finds that the supply of
 23 water from Long Island's aquifers is a precious and finite resource that

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD09546-02-5

 S. 4988 2

 1 is specifically threatened by saltwater intrusion. Saltwater intrusion
 2 affects many communities on Long Island, including the city of Long
 3 Beach, which over the past forty-five years at least, has seen the slow
 4 yet steady intrusion of such saltwater into the shallower layers of the
 5 Lloyd aquifer, which supplies the city's water. It is essential to
 6 properly manage the use of water in order to assure that the water
 7 supply will be sufficient to meet current and future needs. The irri-
 8 gation of commercial and residential lawns and gardens places a signif-
 9 icant demand on the water supply and conservation efforts are a crit-
 10 ically important part of proper management of such water supply. Data
 11 provided by the United States Geological Survey indicates that Long
 12 Island residents use seventy percent more water than the national aver-
 13 age; and, consumption spikes in the peak water pumpage season during the
 14 summer, mainly because of lawn irrigation. Furthermore, in two thousand
 15 seventeen, the department required public water suppliers to develop
 16 plans to reduce peak season water pumpage by fifteen percent. According
 17 to data from a two thousand twenty-three report from the Long Island
 18 commission for aquifer protection, in