Requires the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to establish standards for the closing of trails on the Empire state trail, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1467
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law,  in
   relation  to  establishing  standards for trail closures on the Empire
   state trail

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  parks,  recreation  and historic preservation law is
 amended by adding a new section 3.27 to read as follows:
   § 3.27 EMPIRE STATE TRAIL. 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "EMPIRE  STATE  TRAIL" SHALL MEAN THE EMPIRE STATE TRAIL NETWORK,
 INCLUDING THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY GREENWAY,  ERIE  CANALWAY  TRAIL,  AND
 CHAMPLAIN  VALLEY  TRAIL,  MARKED  WITH  SIGNAGE  AND  IDENTIFIED ON THE
 OFFICE'S WEBSITE, AS WELL AS ANY FUTURE CORRIDORS TO BE INCLUDED IN  THE
 EMPIRE STATE TRAIL NETWORK; AND
   (B)  "MULTI-USE  TRAIL"  SHALL  MEAN  A  TRAIL ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
 SECTION 11-0329 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW BY THE  DEPARTMENT
 OF  ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION OR ESTABLISHED BY AN AFFILIATE OR SUBSID-
 IARY OF THE DEPARTMENT, OR A COUNTY, CITY,  TOWN,  VILLAGE,  OR  PRIVATE
 ENTITY FOR RECREATION AND TRANSPORTATION USE BY PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS,
 AND/OR OTHERS UTILIZING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT.
   2.  TRAIL  CLOSURES.  (A)  THE  OWNER  OF ANY SEGMENT OF NON-MOTORIZED
 MULTI-USE TRAIL DESIGNATED AS A PORTION OF THE EMPIRE STATE TRAIL  SHALL
 ENSURE  THAT SUCH SEGMENT OF TRAIL REMAINS OPEN WHEN PRACTICABLE FOR USE
 BY PEDESTRIANS, PERSONS OPERATING  A  BICYCLE,  SKATING  OR  GLIDING  ON
 IN-LINE  SKATES, OR OTHER TRAIL USERS AS ALLOWED BY STATE, LOCAL LAW, OR
 REGULATION.
   (B) IF ANY SEGMENT OF THE EMPIRE STATE TRAIL REQUIRES CLOSURE  DUE  TO
 CONSTRUCTION  OR TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, IT SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04455-01-5
 S. 1467                             2
 
 OF THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE LANDOWNER TO NOTIFY  THE  COMMISSIONER  OR  THE
 COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE OF SUCH CLOSURE. THE COMMISSIONER OR THE COMMIS-
 SIONER'S DESIGNEE SHALL, UPON RECEIVING NOTICE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
 COORDINATE WITH THE OWNER TO PLAN A DETOUR ROUTE AND TO PROMINENTLY POST
 SIGNAGE ALONG SUCH ROUTE FOR THE DURATION OF THE CLOSURE. THE DEPARTMENT
 SHALL PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY SIGNAGE.
   (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER  OR THEIR DESIGNEE SHALL, UPON RECEIVING NOTICE
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, ENSURE SUCH TRAIL CLOSURE AND  PLANNED  DETOUR
 ROUTE IS POSTED ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.