S 4408: Authorizes the department of environmental conservation to enter into agreements or easements for the sole purpose of interconnection of renewable energy installations across reforestation areas where such installations are located outside such reforestation areas; provides that such agreements or easements shall not interfere with the operation of such reforestation areas for the purposes for which they were acquired.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4408 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. MAY -- 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 agreements related to renewable energy development rights on refores- tation areas The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a 2 new section 9-0508 to read as follows: 3 § 9-0508. Agreements related to renewable energy development rights on 4 reforestation areas. 5 Notwithstanding any provisions of article seven of the public lands 6 law to the contrary, the department may, in any lands acquired by the 7 state in accordance with section 9-0501 of this title, enter into agree- 8 ments, such as leases or easements, for the purpose of aiding in the 9 siting and connectivity of renewable energy installations and the trans- 10 mission and distribution of electricity therefrom. Such installations 11 shall include, but not be limited to, solar power and wind power, under 12 such terms as may be prescribed by the department, and upon such condi- 13 tions that the exercise of such agreement rights shall not interfere 14 with the operation of such reforestation areas for the purposes for 15 which they were acquired and as defined in section three of article 16 fourteen of the New York state constitution. Any agreement made and 17 entered into pursuant to this section shall be recorded in the office of 18 general services and be made available to the public on the official 19 website of such office. 20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08654-01-5