N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 55-0109: Special groundwater protection areas; nomination

§ 55-0109. Special groundwater protection areas; nomination.

1. Any municipality or person may nominate a special groundwater

protection area within a federally designated sole source aquifer

contained within counties having a population of one million or more.

2. Such a nomination petition shall be sent to the commissioner and

shall include the following information:

(a) whether the special groundwater protection area is a recharge zone

for groundwater with a present or future water supply potential;

(b) whether the special groundwater protection area is largely

undeveloped with tracts of natural vegetation, or natural geological

conditions;

(c) whether the groundwater which is recharged through the special

groundwater protection area is of high quality;

(d) whether the hydrogeologic conditions are such that development

could lead to degradation of water quality;

(e) whether portions of the groundwater within the sole source aquifer

area are already contaminated with toxic organics, nutrients, salts or

other pollutants so as to warrant special protection for areas which

recharge high quality groundwater;

(f) whether maintenance of existing high quality in the groundwater

recharged through the special groundwater protection area would have

significant economic, social, ecological, recreational or aesthetic

benefits for the sole source aquifer area; and

(g) whether degradation of such groundwater would have significant

economic, social, ecological, recreational and aesthetic costs for the

area.

3. The nomination petition shall also identify:

(a) the preliminary boundaries of the special groundwater protection

area or areas;

(b) a brief outline of the plan of work;

(c) a tentative membership list for any advisory committees; and

(d) a reasonable budget request for the project.