N.Y. Public Service Law § 147: Farmland protection working group

* § 147. Farmland protection working group. 1. There is hereby created

in the executive department a farmland protection working group

consisting of appropriate stakeholders, including but not limited to:

(a) the commissioner of the department of agriculture and markets;

(b) the commissioner of the department of environmental conservation;

(c) the executive director of ORES;

(d) the chief executive officer of the department of public service;

(e) the president of the New York state energy research and

development authority;

(f) local government officials or representatives from municipal

organizations representing towns, villages, and counties; and

(g) representatives from at least two county agricultural and farmland

protection boards.

2. The working group shall, no later than one year after the effective

date of this article, recommend strategies to encourage and facilitate

input from municipalities in the siting process of major renewable

energy facilities and major electric transmission facilities and to

develop recommendations that include approaches to recognize the value

of viable agricultural land and methods to minimize adverse impacts to

any such land resulting from the siting of major renewable energy

facilities and major electric transmission facilities.

3. The working group, on call of the commissioner of the department of

agriculture and markets, shall meet at least three times each year and

at such other times as may be necessary.

* NB Repealed December 31, 2040