S1212B

The New York State Senate passed legislation requiring the Department of Environmental Conservation to establish new lead contamination standards based on emerging scientific research. Senate Print 1212B, sponsored by Sen. Cleare, passed on a 57-0 vote. The bill mandates state action to address lead in soil, air, and other environmental sources, particularly to protect children from exposure. Sponsors argued that no amount of lead is safe and that the federal EPA has failed to establish adequate standards over more than a decade, with a recent federal court striking down the agency's most recent attempt as inadequate. Sen. May highlighted lead dust from sources such as residual leaded gasoline as an environmental crisis requiring state intervention. The legislation takes effect 90 days after becoming law.