S4071B

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday that grants stormwater regulatory authority to a dozen municipalities, including New York City, Albany, and Buffalo, in a 58-1 vote on Senate Print 4071B. The bill amends the Public Authorities Law to allow water and sewer authorities in these jurisdictions to regulate stormwater management for the first time. Sponsor Sen. May argued the measure addresses an inequitable billing system where high-volume water users unrelated to stormwater generation—such as dry cleaners and laundromats—are charged surcharges on their water bills. The new authority will allow municipalities to target stormwater management costs to those actually generating the problem, she said, incentivizing green infrastructure investments and reducing overall community costs as climate-driven flooding intensifies. Only Sen. Walczyk voted against the measure. The bill takes effect immediately.