N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 17-1001: Legislative findings and declarations

§ 17-1001. Legislative findings and declarations.

The legislature finds and declares that the lands and waters of New

York state constitute an irreplaceable resource upon which is founded

the well-being of public health, economic vitality and the state's

environment; that these resources may be contaminated by spills and

leaks of petroleum from active and abandoned petroleum bulk storage

facilities; that once contaminated the quality of these resources cannot

be completely restored to their original state; and that contamination

of these resources must be prevented through improved safeguards in

storage and handling.

The legislature declares these spills and leaks to be a threat to the

public welfare of the state and hereby exercises the power of the state

to prevent these spills and leaks from occurring through the

establishment of a state petroleum bulk storage code for new and

substantially modified facilities.