2023 New York Laws › COM - Economic Development Law › Article 4-B - Division for Small-Business › 138 - Small Business Pollution Prevention and Environmental Compliance Ombudsman Program.

§   138.   Small   business  pollution  prevention  and  environmental
  compliance ombudsman program. 1. There is hereby established within  the
  division  for small businesses a small business pollution prevention and
  environmental compliance ombudsman program. The primary purpose of  such
  program is to represent small businesses on issues relating to pollution
  prevention and compliance with the environmental conservation law.
2.   The  department  shall,  through  the  small  business  pollution
  prevention and environmental compliance ombudsman program,  provide  the
  following services:
a.   soliciting   input  from  small  businesses  regarding  pollution
  prevention and  compliance  with  the  environmental  conservation  law,
  including  interacting  with organizations representing small businesses
  such as trade associations or other entities;
b. participating in, facilitating and promoting the  participation  of
  small  businesses  in  the  development  and implementation of rules and
  regulations adopted pursuant to the environmental conservation law;
c. participating in and sponsoring meetings  with  the  department  of
  environmental   conservation,  local  environmental  agencies,  industry
  groups and small business representatives;
d.  providing  guidance  and  recommendations  to  the  department  of
  environmental  conservation on the development, content and operation of
  the small business pollution  prevention  and  environmental  compliance
  assistance  program  as  created by section 28-0109 of the environmental
  conservation law;
e. distributing to  small  businesses  information  and  materials  on
  pollution   prevention   and   the  requirements  of  the  environmental
  conservation law;
f. reporting to the pollution prevention and environmental  compliance
  coordinating  council  as established pursuant to section 28-0111 of the
  environmental  conservation  law  on  any   problems   or   difficulties
  experienced  by  small  businesses  in  complying with the environmental
  conservation law, including the degree and severity of enforcement;
g. aiding in  the  investigation  and  resolution  of  complaints  and
  disputes  from  small businesses against the department of environmental
  conservation and local environmental authorities;
h. conducting  periodic  evaluations  of  all  aspects  of  the  small
  business  pollution  prevention  and environmental compliance assistance
  program  created  pursuant  to  section  28-0109  of  the  environmental
  conservation  law  including  reviewing  the  work  and  services of the
  program with trade associations and representatives of small business;
i. reviewing and providing comments and recommendations to the  United
  States   environmental   protection   agency   and   the  department  of
  environmental conservation regarding the development and  implementation
  of regulations that impact small businesses;
j.  arranging  for  and  assisting  in  the  preparation  of  guidance
  documents by the small business pollution prevention  and  environmental
  compliance assistance program as required pursuant to section 28-0109 of
  the  environmental  conservation  law  to  ensure  that  the language is
  readily understandable by the layperson;
k. referring small  businesses  to  specialists  for  information  and
  assistance  on  affordable  alternative  technologies,  process changes,
  products and operational methods to help achieve pollution prevention;
l.  providing  information  to  small  businesses  on  state-sponsored
  programs  offering  financial  and technical assistance, and in locating
  sources of funding for pollution  prevention  and  compliance  with  the
  requirements of the environmental conservation law; and
m.   establishing  procedures  for  assuring  the  confidentiality  of
  information received from small businesses.
3.  The  small  business  pollution   prevention   and   environmental
  compliance  ombudsman  program  shall  coordinate  its services with the
  office of waste prevention  services  established  pursuant  to  article
  fourteen of this chapter.