Bill > S02415

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 controversial natural gas extraction technique that uses more than 300,000 gallons of water per well. The bill defines HVHF as hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") that uses over 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 only if they can demonstrate that they can either completely prevent pollutant discharge or can apply the most advanced control technologies and methods to minimize environmental impact. The goal of this legislation appears to be preventing potentially harmful wastewater from fracking operations from entering municipal water treatment systems, which may not be equipped to effectively filter or treat the complex and potentially toxic chemicals associated with hydraulic fracturing. The bill would take effect immediately upon becoming law.

Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2415