Int. No. 97
By Council Members Brannan, Dinowitz, Nurse and Sanchez
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the creation of a citywide wildlife management plan
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter one of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-157 to read as follows:
§ 18-157 Wildlife management advisory board. a. There shall be a wildlife management advisory board to develop a citywide wildlife management plan.
b. Such advisory board shall consist of eleven members as follows:
1. Three members shall be appointed by the mayor, provided that at least one such member shall be from academia and have advanced specialized training in the management of wildlife in an urban setting;
2. Four members shall be appointed by the speaker of the council, provided that at least one such member shall have not less than five years’ experience working with wildlife in urban settings;
3. The commissioner of parks and recreation, the commissioner of environmental protection, and the commissioner of health and mental hygiene, or the respective designees of such commissioners, shall serve ex officio;
4. The deputy mayor for operations, or his or her designee, shall serve as chairperson of the advisory board; and
5. The advisory board shall invite the New York state department of agriculture and markets, the New York state department of environmental conservation, the United States department of agriculture, the United States department of the interior, the United States environmental protection agency, the federal aviation administration and any other relevant state or federal agency, as identified by such board, to participate in the development of the citywide wildlife management plan.
c. Any vacancies in the membership of the advisory board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
d. Members of the advisory board shall serve without compensation and shall meet as necessary.
e. At the first meeting of the advisory board, no later than one hundred eighty days after the enactment of the law that added this section, the advisory board shall set dates for public hearings and solicit testimony from the public and from relevant state and federal agencies on the development of a citywide wildlife management plan.
f. The advisory board shall issue a citywide wildlife management plan to the mayor and council no later than twelve months after the final member of the advisory board is appointed. Such plan shall, at a minimum, include:
1. An analysis of significant wildlife management problems;
2. Strategies to promote biological diversity and healthy wildlife distribution;
3. Proposed policies to ensure that wildlife management initiatives preserve and protect the public health and safety;
4. A description of proposed strategies to address wildlife management problems that use the most humane treatment of wildlife feasible;
5. An assessment of the need for additional wildlife management resources;
6. An analysis of historical, present and projected needs for the management of wildlife;
7. A description of particular actions proposed to be undertaken by each agency in furtherance of the wildlife management plan that use the most humane treatment of wildlife feasible;
8. An estimation of the cost of such proposed initiatives; and
9. Recommendations for further action regarding the management of wildlife.
g. The advisory board shall terminate sixty days after the publication of the citywide wildlife management plan.
h. Not later than one year after the termination of the wildlife management advisory board, and every one year thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council concerning the current status of wildlife management problems and programs in the city. This report shall provide an update on the status of ongoing significant wildlife management problems, including but not limited to those identified in the citywide wildlife management plan and in prior years’ reports. The report will provide an update on the impact and progress of any wildlife management proposals adopted by relevant agencies, including but not limited to proposals adopted from the citywide wildlife management plan and proposals adopted from the recommendations made in the reports of prior years. The report shall also provide recommendations for future action regarding the management of wildlife.
i. All agencies shall consider the effect that their initiatives, actions, policies and programs have on wildlife in the city of New York.
§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
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