N.Y. State Finance Law § 83-a: Habitat conservation and access account

§ 83-a. Habitat conservation and access account. (a) There is hereby

created an account within the miscellaneous capital projects fund, the

habitat conservation and access account. The habitat conservation and

access account shall consist of up to one million five hundred thousand

dollars annually from moneys received by the state from the sale of

lifetime licenses for hunting, trapping, and fishing, and lifetime

privileges for archery and muzzle-loading pursuant to section 11-0702 of

the environmental conservation law and all moneys, revenues and interest

thereon received as a result of the application of subdivision seventeen

of section 11-0305 of the environmental conservation law authorizing the

issuance and sale of voluntary habitat stamps, other than the amount

retained by the issuing agent or officer. The habitat conservation and

access account shall be subject to the same restrictions and protections

as the conservation fund.

(b) These moneys, after appropriation by the legislature, and within

the amounts set forth and for the several purposes specified, shall be

available to the department of environmental conservation for the

capital expenses associated with management, protection, and restoration

of fish and wildlife habitats, and improvement and development of public

access for fish and wildlife related recreation.

(c) All payments made from the habitat conservation and access account

shall be made by the department of taxation and finance after audit and

upon warrant of the comptroller on vouchers approved by the commissioner

of environmental conservation. After appropriations made available from

the habitat conservation and access account shall cease to have force

and effect, any balances remaining unexpended and not required to meet

the proper and necessary expenses of the division of fish and wildlife

shall revert to the state fish and game trust account established

pursuant to paragraph four of subdivision (a) of section eighty-three of

this article.

(d) No funds may be transferred or used in any way which would result

in the loss of eligibility for federal benefits or federal funds

pursuant to federal law, rule, or regulation as assented to in chapter

six hundred eighty-three of the laws of nineteen hundred thirty-eight

and chapter seven hundred of the laws of nineteen hundred fifty-one.