Bill > A00655

This bill establishes the Municipal Asbestos Abatement Grant Program to help local governments address abandoned and asbestos-laden commercial properties. Recognizing that asbestos is a hazardous material known to cause cancer and that many communities struggle with the high costs of cleaning up such properties, the bill directs the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Labor, to create a grant program that provides financial assistance to municipalities for abating asbestos in vacant and abandoned commercial buildings. The program will include guidelines for eligible projects, matching grant structures, maximum per-building and total project awards, and other necessary standards. Additionally, the bill requires the DEC to create and maintain a comprehensive database of abandoned commercial buildings needing asbestos abatement, which will be initially reported to state legislative leaders by December 31, 2028, and updated annually. To support this initiative, the bill appropriates $15 million from the state's solid waste account, making funds immediately available for implementing the program. The bill aims to help local governments revitalize their economies by enabling the renovation and productive reuse of currently unusable asbestos-contaminated properties.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A655