Bill > S01626

This bill amends the New York State Environmental Conservation Law to prohibit the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) from creating regulations that restrict open burning of garbage, refuse, or rubbish on certain properties. Specifically, the bill allows single-family homeowners and farmers to burn waste on their land, with some limitations. The bill provides detailed definitions for terms like "open fire" (any outdoor fire producing smoke), "garbage" (food-related waste), "refuse" (general waste material), and "rubbish" (solid waste including paper, yard debris, and wood). The burning restrictions do not apply to cities, villages, or towns with populations over 20,000 people. The bill has a sunset provision, meaning these provisions will automatically expire on December 15, 2029, after which the law will revert to its previous state. This legislation appears aimed at providing rural and agricultural property owners more flexibility in waste disposal while maintaining some environmental and population density-based restrictions.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1626