Bill > A00880

This bill prohibits publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), which are municipal wastewater treatment facilities, from accepting wastewater generated by high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), a natural gas extraction technique that uses over 300,000 gallons of water per well. The bill defines HVHF as hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") that uses more than 300,000 gallons of water, regardless of the well's orientation. POTWs can seek an exemption from this prohibition by appealing to the Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Water, but they must demonstrate either a complete elimination of pollutant discharge or show they are using the most advanced available technology to reduce effluent to the greatest possible extent. The legislation aims to prevent potentially harmful wastewater from HVHF operations from being treated in municipal water treatment facilities, likely due to concerns about the environmental and health risks associated with fracking wastewater. The act takes effect immediately upon passage.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A880