Header:
NEW YORK CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS
TITLE 9. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
SUBTITLE A. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
CHAPTER I. EXECUTIVE ORDERS
PART 4. *EXECUTIVE ORDERS (MARIO M. CUOMO)
Date:
08/31/2009
Document:
ยง 4.121 Executive order No. 121: Declaring a disaster emergency in the Counties of Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester, the City of New York and contiguous areas
WHEREAS, during the period March 1988-February 1989 consistently below normal precipitation has caused critical reservoir water storage shortfalls, reduced streamflows and below average groundwater levels in the State Drought Region II, comprised of the Counties of Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester, the City of New York and contiguous areas; and
WHEREAS, there is no snow pack in the Catskills to contribute normal spring snow melt runoff into the major water supply reservoirs in area; and WHEREAS, the National Weather Service outlook for the key spring runoff months of March-May is for a 55 percent chance of below normal precipitation; and
WHEREAS, these conditions will result in further shortages of available water supplies and necessitate restrictions on public and private water usage, thereby causing hardship for residential, business and industrial communities, and threatening the public health, safety and welfare;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, MARIO M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby find that, as a result of the continuing water shortages, a disaster situation exists for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately and, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution, the Laws of the State of New York and section 28 of article 2-B of the Executive Law, I hereby declare a disaster emergency, effective March 16, 1989, for the Counties of Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester, the City of New York, and contiguous areas.
FURTHER, pursuant to section 29 of article 2-B of the State Executive Law, I hereby direct the implementation of the State Disaster Preparedness Plan and applicable portions of the State Drought Preparedness Plan, and authorize the State Emergency Management Office, the State Department of Environmental Conservation, the State Department of Health, and other State agencies as necessary to take all appropriate actions to provide assistance to those affected localities in protecting the public health and safety. Consistent with this objective, such plan shall, to the extent practicable, protect natural resources and promote conservation of potable water supplies. FURTHER, I hereby enjoin all affected communities in the State to prepare and/or update their drought disaster plans and to undertake all reasonable efforts to increase public awareness of the continuing water shortage as well as to implement both voluntary and mandatory water conservation measures and, to the extent practicable, protect natural resources. Signed: Mario M. Cuomo
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