New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT › Subtitle A - Governor's Office › Chapter I - Executive Orders › Part 5 - Executive Orders (George E. Pataki) › Section 5.116 - Executive order no. 116: reconstituting the state drought management task force

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
WHEREAS, section 20, subdivision (1)(c) of the Executive
					 Law provides that state and local natural disaster and emergency response
					 functions be coordinated in order to bring the fullest protection and benefit
					 to the people;
WHEREAS, section 21  of the Executive Law created in the
					 executive department a Disaster Preparedness Commission charged with studying
					 all aspects of man-made or natural disaster prevention, response and recovery,
					 preparing State disaster preparedness plans, to be approved by the Governor,
					 and directing State disaster operations and coordinating State disaster
					 operations with local disaster operations following the declaration of a State
					 disaster emergency;
WHEREAS, having determined that there is a need to
					 reconstitute the State Drought Management Task Force in order for it to
					 properly coordinate drought related activities and provide the Governor, State
					 Disaster Preparedness Commission, and State Agency Heads with information
					 needed to judge the degree of emergency and appropriate State response;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor of the State
					 of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
					 Laws of the State of New York, do hereby reconstitute the State Drought
					 Management Task Force as follows:
I.
				  Definitions
A. "Drought Watch" shall mean the
				  first stage of a developing drought event. This stage is declared by the
				  Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) based on the Drought Forecasting
				  Plan.
B. "Drought Warning" shall
				  mean the second stage of a impending or imminent severe drought event. This
				  stage is also declared by the DEC based on the Drought Forecasting Plan. Other
				  State agencies will respond as specified below and as detailed in the Drought
				  Management Coordination Plan.
C.
				  "Drought Emergency" shall mean the third stage of existing severe and
				  persistent drought conditions. This stage is declared by the State Disaster
				  Preparedness Commission (DPC) who shall notify the effected public of actions
				  to be taken.
D. "Drought Disaster"
				  shall mean the fourth and most severe stage of persistent drought conditions at
				  which a significant proportion of communities in the impacted area are unable
				  to respond adequately. In response, an Executive Declaration and Order by the
				  Governor may be necessary to marshal personnel and State resources.
E. "Drought Forecasting Plan" shall mean a
				  plan to evaluate regional drought conditions using indicators such as
				  precipitation deficits, surface and groundwater levels, reservoir storage and
				  soil moisture conditions.
F.
				  "Drought Management Coordination Plan" or "the Plan" shall mean a plan to
				  coordinate and implement the State and local response during drought
				  conditions.
G. "State Agency" shall
				  mean any State department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee,
				  public authority, public benefit corporation, council, office or other
				  governmental entity performing a governmental or proprietary function for the
				  State.
H. "State Agency Head" shall
				  mean the commissioner, chairman, chief executive officer, or highest ranking
				  official for any "State Agency," as defined in subdivision (G) above.
I. "State Emergency Management Office" or
				  "SEMO" shall mean the disaster and civil defense agency within the Division of
				  Military and Naval Affairs as named in Executive Order No. 32, promulgated on
				  December 29, 1983, as continued by Executive Order No. 3, promulgated on
				  January 5, 1995.
J. "Task Force"
				  shall mean the State Drought Management Task Force.