A 2028: Establishes the sustainable communities fund; authorizes grants to municipal corporations who meet certain requirements for eligible projects that incorporate smart growth principles or utilize climate resilient and environmentally friendly construction techniques.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2028 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE, TAYLOR -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the sustainable communities fund The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 2 99-r to read as follows: 3 § 99-r. Sustainable communities fund. 1. There is hereby established 4 in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of 5 environmental conservation a fund to be known as the "sustainable commu- 6 nities fund". 7 2. Such fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for its purpose, 8 all other monies credited or transferred to such fund pursuant to law, 9 and all monies required by this section or any other provisions of law 10 to be paid into or credited to such fund. 11 3. Moneys of such fund shall be made available to the commissioner of 12 environmental conservation and shall be used for grants to municipal 13 corporations, as that term is defined in section two of the general 14 municipal law, for eligible projects pursuant to this section. To quali- 15 fy for such grants, municipal corporations shall (a) incorporate smart 16 growth principles, as enumerated in article six of the environmental 17 conservation law, into their comprehensive plans in accordance with 18 sections two hundred seventy-two-a of the town law, 7-722 of the village 19 law, and twenty-eight-a of the general city law, (b) demonstrate that 20 eligible projects conform to the comprehensive plans, and (c) demon- 21 strate the ability to leverage one dollar in matching funds for every 22 dollar of state financial assistance. 23 4. Following appropriation by the legislature, monies of the fund 24 shall be available only for distribution to eligible projects. Such 25 eligible projects shall incorporate smart growth principles or utilize EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03678-01-5 
 A. 2028 2 1 climate resilient and environmentally friendly construction techniques 2 and shall include, but not be limited to, creating walkable communities 3 including the widening of sidewalks and bike lanes, waterfront revitali- 4 zation projects including dredging, beautification projects, combating 5 urban sprawl, and developing mixed use communities. 6 5. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall promulgate any 7 necessary rules and regulations for the application and distribution of 8 any funds pursuant to this section. 9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, 10 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces- 11 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 12 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.