The New York City Council - File #: Int 0736-2022

• File #: Int 0736-2022
• Version: *
• Name: Requiring a study and mitigation of the impacts of methane gas emissions on city trees.
• Type: Introduction
• Status: Filed (End of Session)
• Committee: Committee on Parks and Recreation
• On agenda: 9/29/2022
• Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a study and mitigation of the impacts of methane gas emissions on city trees
• Sponsors: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Shahana K. Hanif, Lincoln Restler, (by request of the Queens Borough President)
• Council Member Sponsors: 3
• Summary: The bill calls for the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection, to create or review and adopt maps showing fugitive methane gas emissions from gas mains in the city. Where maps of the canopy of trees under DPR’s jurisdiction, when overlaid upon the maps of methane gas emissions from gas mains, indicate that such trees may be impacted by fugitive methane gas emissions, DPR would have to perform a field survey to determine whether the trees have been damaged by the emissions. Where the field surveys confirm damage to such trees, DPR must document the damage, take appropriate steps to notify the responsible utility and require mitigation or seek reimbursement as may be appropriate.

Date	Ver.	Prime Sponsor	Action By	Action	Result
12/31/2023	*	Public Advocate Jumaane Williams	City Council	Filed (End of Session)
9/29/2022	*	Public Advocate Jumaane Williams	City Council	Referred to Comm by Council
9/29/2022	*	Public Advocate Jumaane Williams	City Council	Introduced by Council

Int. No. 736

By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Hanif and Restler (by request of the Queens Borough President)

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a study and mitigation of the impacts of methane gas emissions on city trees

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-159 to read as follows:

§ 18-159 Study of fugitive methane gas impacts on the urban forest. a. The department, in conjunction with the department of environmental protection, shall create or review and adopt maps showing fugitive methane gas emissions from gas mains in the city.

                     b. Where maps of the canopy of trees under the jurisdiction of the commissioner, when overlaid upon the maps described in subdivision a, indicate, in the discretion of the department and the department of environmental protection, that trees under the jurisdiction of the commissioner may be impacted by fugitive methane gas emissions, the department shall confirm, by means of a field survey, whether such trees have been damaged by such emissions.

                     c. Where field surveys confirm damage to trees under the jurisdiction of the commissioner from fugitive methane gas emissions, the department shall document such damage, take appropriate steps to notify the responsible utility and mandate mitigation or seek reimbursement as may be appropriate.

§ 2. This local law shall take effect 180 days after it becomes law.

Session 12

KS

LS # 26

6/10/22 10:30 AM

Session 11

SS/JJ

LS #184

Int. No. 281-2018