N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 40-0101: Legislative findings and declarations

§ 40-0101. Legislative findings and declarations.

The legislature finds and declares that the lands, water and air 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. These resources may be contaminated by releases of

hazardous substances from active and abandoned storage facilities. Once

these resources are contaminated, they cannot be completely restored to

their original state and therefore, contamination of the resources must

be prevented through improved safeguards in storage, handling and

processing of hazardous substances.

The legislature finds and declares these releases to be a threat to

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

state to prevent these releases from occurring through the establishment

of a state regulatory program governing existing, new and abandoned

facilities.