NY Canal L § 139-C (2021)
2021 New York Laws CAL - Canal Article 13-B - Upstate Flood Mitigation Task Force 139-C - Task Force Duties and Powers.

* §  139-c.  Task  force duties and powers. The role of the task force shall include but not be limited to:   1. Conducting an in-depth examination, presented as a public report no later than six months from the date the task force  is  established,  of flood control study sectors and issues related to floodplain management, debris  management,  flood  control  and flood mitigation in the upstate flood mitigation region including:  (a) the cost or impact  of  flooding  over  the  last  five  years  to agriculture;   transportation;   land  use;  public  health;  insurance; economic sectors such as tourism, recreation and  power  generation;  as well  as  impacts  on infrastructure including bridges, low lying roads, dams, locks, roads, water and wastewater treatment plants and docks;  (b) an assessment of canal system operation procedures and plans which may have a direct or indirect  impact  on  flood  mitigation  and  flood management   including,   but   not   limited   to   debris  management, communication, water management and flood response; and  (c) a listing of adaptive measures, with associated costs, that  could be  executed  to  mitigate  flood  damages, including but not limited to feasible   floodplain   management   activities,   debris    management, construction  of flood control structures, construction of communication systems  and  flood  mitigation  education  for   public   and   private landowners.   2. Establishing an upstate flood mitigation grant program based on the task force's evaluation pursuant to section one hundred thirty-nine-d of this  article  which  is subject to appropriations to fund grants within the upstate flood mitigation region to prevent and mitigate flood damage within the region. Such program shall work in conjunction with  existing flood  assistance  grant  programs  and  supplement  existing efforts by providing funds for adaptive measures to mitigate or eliminate  a  flood event.   3.  Holding  public hearings as it deems necessary to solicit relevant information and gather current research and data related to flooding and flood mitigation in the region as well as recommendations to fulfill the purposes of this article. The task force shall consult with  the  county offices  of  emergency  management,  county  soil and water conservation districts and all other federal,  state  and  local  entities  it  deems necessary  to  fulfill  the purposes of this article. In determining the number of  public  hearings  to  be  held,  the  task  force  shall  act diligently  in  order to meet the timeframe for first cycle awards under the upstate flood mitigation grant program  established  within  section one hundred thirty-nine-d of this article.   4.  The  task  force  shall  have  the  power  to:  (a)  contract  for professional and technical assistance and advice; (b) contract  for  and accept   assistance   including,  but  not  limited  to  gifts,  grants, easements, and loans of funds, real property and personal property  from the federal government or any agency or instrumentality of the state, or from  any  other  public  or  private  source  to comply, subject to the provisions of this article,  with  the  terms  and  conditions  thereof, subject  to  the  approval  of  the  division of budget; (c) hold public hearings; and (d) establish an upstate flood mitigation grant program to be administered by the canal corporation and based on the  task  force's evaluation, to fund grants within the upstate flood mitigation region to prevent and mitigate flood damage within the region.   5.  Upon  the  request of the task force, all executive departments of the state and the canal corporation shall provide the  task  force  with such  facilities,  assistance  and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof  shall,  at  the  request  of  the  chair,  provide  the  task  force  with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.   * NB Repealed July 1, 2023