Bill > S10381

This bill mandates that all ferries purchased by or for the state, its agencies, or public authorities, starting from fiscal years beginning on or after April 1, 2028, must produce zero emissions, meaning they will have no exhaust emissions of greenhouse gases or pollutants from their power source. This requirement also extends to privately licensed ferries receiving state funding to subsidize specific routes, which must purchase zero or near-zero emission ferries for those routes by the same date, with "near-zero emission" referring to technologies that significantly reduce emissions and offer a path to zero-emission operations. Furthermore, the bill directs the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility of transitioning certain "workboats"—defined as non-ocean-going vessels used for commercial transportation of goods and support operations like tugboats, towboats, barges, and dredges—to zero-emission power, including an analysis of necessary charging infrastructure along the Hudson River and New York State Canal System, with a report due within two years of the bill's effective date. Importantly, these provisions do not apply to commercial or sports fishing boats, ocean-going ships, or vessels transporting goods through the Great Lakes.