§ 150. Definitions. As used in this article: 1. “Agricultural environmental management (AEM) program” means the program established in this article to assist farmers in managing their farm operations in a way that protects the environment and helps maintain the economic viability of the farm. 2. “AEM” means agricultural environmental management. 3. “AEM plan” means […]
§ 151. Agricultural environmental management program. There is hereby established within the department an agricultural environmental management program to assist farmers in maintaining the economic viability of their farm operations while addressing environmental impacts from those operations, including, but not limited to, soil, air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The program may also […]
§ 151-a. Planner certification. There is hereby established a planner certification program for the purpose of certifying individuals in both the public and private sectors who are qualified by education, experience, or examination to develop an AEM plan as defined in section one hundred fifty of this article. Subject to the availability of funding, the […]
§ 151-b. Education and training. The commissioner is authorized, within funds available, to provide education and training to prospective and certified planners in agriculturally related water quality and environmental issues; and training to participants in the program. The department may contract with Cornell cooperative extension, the United States department of agriculture natural resources conservation service […]
§ 151-c. Program participation. Farm owners or operators shall be deemed to be participating in the AEM program if they have documented in a manner prescribed by the state soil and water conservation committee that they are complying with program principles, standards, and procedures as developed by the state soil and water conservation committee, in […]
§ 151-d. Local regulation. Nothing in this article shall preclude a local government from exercising any of its powers to enact, administer or enforce local laws or ordinances, provided that no local government shall exercise such powers in a manner which is inconsistent with this article or which unreasonably restricts planning, practices, structures, projects or […]
§ 151-e. Coordination with the state pollutant discharge elimination system (SPDES) permit program. Nothing in this article shall limit the application of title seven or eight of article seventeen of the environmental conservation law relating to point source discharges of pollution to farm owners or operators participating in the AEM program. The department shall work […]
§ 151-f. Program funds. The commissioner is authorized to accept for deposit in an account within the miscellaneous special revenue fund contributions from any source to support the purposes of this article.
§ 151-g. Confidentiality. AEM plans and on-farm surveys and assessments filed with the department or filed with or prepared by county soil and water conservation districts shall be considered confidential and not subject to public disclosure, except such documents shall not be considered confidential as deemed necessary by the commissioner or the district to implement […]
§ 151-h. Report. The department, in conjunction with the state soil and water conservation committee, shall report annually to the governor, the legislature and participating agencies on the progress of the AEM program, including an assessment of program effectiveness in achieving state water quality objectives, public and private program participation, and such other information as […]
§ 151-i. Rules and regulations. The state soil and water conservation committee and the commissioner are each empowered to promulgate such rules and regulations and to prescribe such forms as each shall deem necessary to effectuate the purposes of sections one hundred fifty-one-a, one hundred fifty-one-b and one hundred fifty-one-c of this article.
