This annual survey describes new environmental laws that were signed into law in 2010 in New York, as well as two executive orders issued by Governor David A. Paterson and important new regulations from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation concerning endangered and threatened species. The new laws discussed in this survey include the following topics: Air Quality, Brownfields, Endangered Species, Energy, Emissions/Climate Change, Green Jobs, Hazardous Substances, Land Use, Pesticides, Public Health, Recycling, State Environmental Quality Review Act, Solid Waste, Transportation, Wetlands, and Wildlife.

This report contains hundreds of specific policy reforms spanning eight broad areas of local government policy and responsibility: economic development and job creation; infrastructure; municipal revenue; job standards; housing; education; health; and civil rights. In each area, the report first describes the importance of taking action on it and the general goals of progressive policy. Second, the report describes key proven strategies for reaching those goals and identifies several specific steps that cities can take toward their effective implementation within those strategies, citing specific examples in each case.

In 2018, New York State enacted a Drug Take Back Act in response to environmental and public health concerns about improper disposal of unused drugs. Another enactment gave the Department of Health greater discretion in enforcement actions against landlords that do not take adequate action to abate lead paint. Other new laws tinkered with legislation enacted in 2017 to protect drinking water and to promote clean energy and energy storage. In addition, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed laws concerning farmland and pollinator protection. In New York City, a styrofoam ban went into effect on January 1st after courts rejected a challenge to city determinations underlying the prohibition. This annual survey reports on these developments and other environmental laws enacted in 2018.

This ordinance prohibits the application of pesticides on municipally owned land and within the Halifax Regional Municipality or within 50 meters of any school, licensed day care center, park, playground, licensed senior citizens' residence, university, church or hospital; exempts certain permitted pesticides from prohibitions and permits use of certain pesticides to be carried out to control or destroy plants or insects if such plants or insects constitute a danger for human beings or to control or destroy insects which have infested a property; requires notice in certain pesticide application situations; establishes a municipal pesticide registry for owners of property not wishing have pesticides on owned property until general pesticide prohibitions take effect; establishes certain requirements and procedures for pesticide application; and establishes penalties for violation of provisions.

This report serves as a resource for developing smoke-free indoor air laws and is a companion piece to the Prohibition of Smoking in all Workplaces and Public Places model ordinance. The report outlines common errors to avoid while developing and drafting an ordinance that prohibits smoking indoors. This report is periodically updated by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, please contact the organization to ensure you have the most recent version of the document.

This ordinance prohibits smoking within public establishments including municipal and county buildings, restaurants, and institutions. This ordinance outlines the public health rationale for such a policy and defines key terms related to smoke-free public places necessary for the implementation and enforcement of such an ordinance.

This model ordinance prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places, enclosed places of employment, private clubs, and enclosed residential facilities. The ordinance also prohibits smoking in outdoor public places such as arenas, stadiums, and amphitheaters and restricts smoking within a certain distance of entrances, operable windows, ventilation systems, playgrounds, public transportation service areas, and outdoor seating areas for restaurants and bars. The ordinance prohibits smoking in outdoor places of employment in situations where two or more employees are present. In addition, the ordinance defines the enforcement of the law, penalties for violating the law's terms, and adequate posting of no smoking signs. This ordinance is periodically updated by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, please contact the organization before proposing the ordinance in your community to ensure you have the most recent version of the law. Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, Website: http://www.no-smoke.org/ Phone: 510-841-3032

This model ordinance prohibits smoking in outdoor places of employment, outdoor public places, outdoor residential facilities, and city or county owned property. The ordinance defines the enforcement of the law, penalties for violating the law's terms, and adequate posting of no smoking signs. This ordinance is periodically updated by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. Please contact the organization before proposing the ordinance in your community to ensure you have the most recent version of the law.

This ordinance regulates development of electrical generating power plants in the county. The plant's location, development, operation, and transmission lines must protect the public health, safety, convenience, welfare, water resources, air quality, visual resources, cultural resources, land use, and biological resources. An entity that wants to develop an electrical generating power plant must have its permit application approved. The ordinance specifies requirements for the application and penalties for unapproved electrical generation or power plant facilities.

This report serves as a resource for developing laws that prohibit smoking in workplaces and public places and is a companion piece to the Prohibition of Smoking in all Workplaces and Public Places model ordinance. The report describes and justifies the various provisions in the Prohibition of Smoking in all Workplaces and Public Places model ordinance. The report elaborates on the places that should be covered by smoke-free laws and potential aspects of the law that may draw the most opposition. It also includes an appendix outlining the health hazards of secondhand smoke and a list of general references.