The committee may make such recommendations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this part, except for any major environmental, ecological or energy issue involving Long Island Sound and the lower Hudson River Valley that is under review by the Bi-State Long Island Sound Commission established pursuant to section 25-143. In furtherance of its responsibilities under this part, the committee may coordinate and recommend standardization of all laws relative to Long Island Sound including, but not limited to, standardization of jurisdiction of coastal waters by harbor management commissions, municipal waterfront authorities, municipal conservation commissions, municipal port authorities and municipal shellfish commissions. The committee shall consider the adverse impact any action proposed in or for Long Island Sound may have upon the public trust resources of said sound. The committee shall prepare and submit a report to the governors and the legislatures of the respective states on or before February fifteenth, annually. The report shall make recommendations for legislation regarding proposed industrialization and private use of public trust resources of Long Island Sound. In developing such recommendations, the committee shall seek to (1) avoid, (2) minimize, and (3) mitigate the impacts of such proposed industrialization and private use of public trust resources of said sound. For the purposes of this section, “public trust resources” shall include, but not be limited to, the historic and broad boating use of said sound by the public, the right of the public to enjoy and explore the natural beauty of said sound by boat, the rights of the public and commercial fishermen to harvest fish and shellfish from said sound, the protection of all natural resources of said sound that are held in trust by the state for the public, the stewardship and restoration of sites along the coast of said sound that contain important habitat or natural resources and the protection of sites that provide opportunities for public enjoyment of said sound.

(P.A. 73-629, S. 3, 5; P.A. 88-336, S. 2, 5; P.A. 05-137, S. 3; P.A. 09-151, S. 2, 3.)

History: P.A. 73-629 effective upon the enactment by the state of New York of legislation having like effect, i.e. September 1, 1988; P.A. 88-336 added standardization of jurisdiction of coastal waters by local agencies to the charge of the committee; (Revisor's note: In 1991 the word “chapter” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with the word “part” reflecting inclusion of new provisions as part II of chapter 483); P.A. 05-137 made committee coordination and recommended standardization of all laws relative to Long Island Sound discretionary, substituted “public trust” resources for “marine” resources, specified report recommendations and considerations and defined “public trust resources”, effective upon the enactment by the state of New York of legislation having like effect, i.e. June 1, 2011; P.A. 09-151 added exemption re issues under review by Bi-State Long Island Sound Commission, effective July 1, 2009.