923 - Long Island Sound coastal advisory commission.
§ 923. Long Island Sound coastal advisory commission. 1. Definitions. As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings unless the context indicates another or different meanings or intent: (a) "Long Island Sound coastal management program" or "program" shall mean that regional program prepared by the department pursuant to the recommendation of the governor's task force on coastal resources. (b) "Long Island Sound coastal advisory commission" or "commission" shall mean that commission created pursuant to subdivision two of this section. 2. Long Island Sound coastal advisory commission. (a) The Long Island Sound coastal advisory commission is hereby created in the department. The commission shall consist of seventeen members. The legislature shall appoint six members, all of whom must be local government officials, two of whom shall reside in Westchester county, two of whom shall reside in Nassau county and two of whom shall reside in Suffolk county. Of these six, two voting members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. One voting member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate and one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. In addition five members shall be appointed by the secretary, one of whom shall be chair; one of whom shall represent builders, one of whom shall represent recreational anglers, one of whom shall represent commercial fishing, one of whom shall represent recreational boaters and one of whom shall represent birders; in addition, membership on the commission shall include one member, a New York state resident, appointed by and from the Long Island Sound study management conference; the Long Island Sound study citizens' advisory committee co-chair residing in New York state; the director of New York sea grant; and the commissioners of economic development, environmental conservation and parks, recreation and historic preservation; one member shall be appointed by the commissioner of economic development and shall represent business; one member shall be appointed by the commissioner of environmental conservation and shall represent environmental protection; and one member shall be appointed by the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation and shall represent recreation. The commission shall meet at least once a year and shall encourage attendance at such meetings of representatives from local governments on the sound and other interested parties. Copies of the minutes of each meeting shall be forwarded to the secretary. (b) Every state agency and public corporation having jurisdiction over land or water on or in the sound, or over programs relating to the purposes and goals of this article shall, to the fullest extent practicable, offer full cooperation and assistance to the council in carrying out the provisions of this section. (c) Every local agency with programs relating to the sound shall offer assistance to the commission, to the extent practicable, in carrying out the provisions of this section. (d) In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of any member, such vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation. 3. Powers and duties of the commission. The commission shall have the power: (a) to make by-laws for the management and regulation of its affairs; (b) to utilize, to the extent practicable, the staff and facilities of existing state and local agencies;(c) to annually review the Long Island Sound coastal management program and policies and recommend revisions thereto; (d) to assist in the coordination of this program with other programs and activities affecting Long Island Sound; (e) to hold public hearings to solicit input and comment from the public on implementation of the program; and (f) to prepare an annual report on the conduct of its activities.