NYS Legislature passes bill to protect 41,000 miles of streams at risk from the Trump Administration’s Clean Water Act rollbacks

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Albany NY – Today, the New York Senate took a historic vote to protect clean water across New York.It voted to add 41,000 miles of at risk streams to the protected class of waters within the DEC’s Protection of Waters Program. The legislation protects streams within the Class C designation and will require a permit for disturbing a stream already required for Class AA, A, B and trout waters. This legislation passed the New York Assembly in February. Now, New York has taken the significant step of ensuring clean water for future generations of New Yorkers.

“The New York State Senate and Assembly have taken a historic step to push back on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act rollbacks. If signed into law by Governor Cuomo, 41,000 miles of streams in New York at risk from Trump’s Dirty Water Rule now stand to gain additional state protections,” said Jeremy Cherson, Legislative Advocacy Manager for Riverkeeper. “The unscientific federal rule challenged in court by Attorney General James and a coalition of states went into effect on June 22 and limits federal jurisdiction for seasonal and precipitation-fed streams that are often the sources for drinking water across the state. The legislation passed by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Ryan will ensure New York State limits the damage to New York’s clean drinking water and wildlife through new state oversight.”