NY Soil & Wat Cons Dists L § 3 (2021)
2021 New York Laws SWC - Soil and Water Conservation Districts Article 1 - Short Title; Declaration of Policy; Definitions 3 - Definitions.

§ 3. Definitions. Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a  different meaning clearly appears from the context: (1) "District" or "soil and water conservation district" means a  county  whose  board  of supervisors  has  by  resolution  declared  said county to be a soil and water conservation district.  (2) "Director" means one member of the governing body of  a  district, appointed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.  (3) "Committee" or "state soil and water conservation committee" means the agency created in section four of this chapter.  (4) "State" means the state of New York.  (5)  "Agency  of this state" includes the government of this state and any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise,  of the government of this state.  (6)  "United  States"  or "agencies of the United States" includes the United States of America, the soil conservation service  of  the  United States   department   of   agriculture,   and   any   other   agency  or instrumentality,  corporate  or  otherwise,  of  the  United  States  of America.  (7)  "Government"  or  "governmental"  includes the government of this state, the government of the United States, and any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise of either of them.  (8) "County board" means  the  county  board  of  supervisors  of  any county.  (9)  "Land  occupier" or "occupier of land" includes any person, firm, corporation, or governmental unit who shall hold title to, or  shall  be in  possession of, any lands lying within a district organized under the provisions of this chapter, whether as owner, lessee, renter, tenant  or otherwise.  (10)  "Agriculture land" shall be defined as any landholding exceeding twenty-five acres which is used by the owner or occupier of the land for the raising of any agricultural or forestry products, provided, however, that concentrated agricultural operations on landholdings of  less  than twenty-five acres shall be included in the term.  (11) "Concentrated agricultural operations" shall be as defined as any form   of   agricultural   operation   including  feedlots  and  poultry operations, which  produces,  because  of  its  confined  nature,  large amounts of animal and related wastes in a limited area as defined by the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.  (12) "Soil and water conservation plan" shall be defined as a document containing  proposals  for  the conservation of soil and water resources and which provides an orderly method for  landowners  and  occupiers  to follow  in  limiting  soil erosion and reducing the amount of pollutants entering into the waters or on the lands of the state.  (13)  "Nonpoint  source"  means  any  source  of  water  pollution  or pollutants,   as   defined  in  section  17-0105  of  the  environmental conservation law, which is not a discrete  conveyance  or  point  source permitted  pursuant  to title seven or eight of article seventeen of the environmental conservation law.  (14) "Nonpoint source abatement and control program" means  a  program of  activities  and projects for the abatement and reduction of nonpoint source  pollution  through  the  implementation   of   best   management practices.  (15)  "Agricultural  nonpoint  source  abatement  and control program" means a program consisting of activities and projects for the  abatement and  reduction  of  water  pollution  from agricultural nonpoint sources through the installation, operation and maintenance of  best  management practices.  Such program shall address agriculturally related activities and their impact on water quality and shall include, but not be  limited  to,  activities  and  projects  for  controlling  losses  from  the land including nutrients, particularly nitrogen  and  phosphorus,  pathogens, toxic  contamination  of  surface  waters  and  groundwaters  from heavy metals,  pesticides and other organic substances, and for the prevention of siltation and eutrophication of  streams,  rivers,  lakes  and  other water bodies.  (16)  "Best  management  practices" means a practice or combination of practices determined to be the most effective, economically feasible and practicable means of  preventing  or  reducing  pollution  generated  by nonpoint sources.  (17)  "Priority  water  body"  means  a  water  body identified by the commissioner of environmental conservation pursuant to  section  17-1407 of the environmental conservation law.  (18) "Recreational use" means any activity undertaken out of doors for purposes of mental or physical enjoyment and relaxation and may include, but  shall  not  be  limited  to,  hunting,  fishing, canoeing, boating, trapping,  hiking,  cross   country   skiing,   tobogganing,   sledding, speleological   activities,   horseback  riding,  bicycle  riding,  hang gliding,  motorized  vehicle  operation   for   recreational   purposes, snowmobile operation and training of dogs.