Two bills have been introduced in the New York State Legislature for a vote – calling for community gardens to be designated as Critical Environmental Areas. 
Both bills have the same wording and purpose which read in part as follows: 

Requires the community gardens task force [of the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets] to conduct an assessment of all community gardens located on publicly owned land in the state to facilitate each garden’s designation as a critical environmental area. 

A Critical Environmental Area (CEA) is a geographic area with exceptional or unique character with respect to one or more of the following: 

• a benefit or threat to human health; 
• a natural setting such as fish and wildlife habitat, forest and vegetation, open space, and areas of important aesthetic or scenic quality; 
• agricultural, social, cultural, historic, archeological, recreational, or educational values; or 
• an inherent ecological, geological, or hydrological sensitivity that may be adversely affected by any change. 

On Monday,  the State Senate passed CEA Bill S629A.

Now Assembly Bill A4139A is before the members of the State Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee.

Assembly Bill A4139A calls for a regulatory Process by which community gardens can be officially designated as CEAs.

When passed this will raise the “environmental impact review process” bar in order to help preserve & protect community gardens as CEAs. 

Both bills have the same wording and purpose which read in part as follows: 

Requires the community gardens task force [of the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets] to conduct an assessment of all community gardens located on publicly owned land in the state to facilitate each garden’s designation as a critical environmental area. 

The State Senate bill was sponsored by State Senator Leroy Comrie. He represents the 14th Senatorial District of Queens 

The State Assembly bill (A4139A) is sponsored by State Assemblymember Donna A. Lupardo and co-sponsored by State Assemblymember Steven B. Raga. 

Assemblymember Lupardo is the Chair of the Agriculture Committee She represents the 123rd Assembly District, which includes  Binghamton,  Vestal, and Union, the villages of Johnson City,  and Endicott 

LupardoD@nyassembly.gov

Assemblymember Raga represents the 30th Assembly District of Woodside, Elmhurst, Maspeth, Jackson Heights, Astoria, and Middle Village. 

ragas@nyassembly.gov

The Assembly bill A4139A is currently in the committee review phase before the very powerful Assembly Ways and Means Committee. This is the link where you can see information regarding the status of the Assembly bill: 

Please visit by email, phone or in person, the members of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, including the Committee Chair, Helene E. Weinstein, in order to communicate yoursupport for the Critical Environmental Areas Designation of community gardens along  

PROTECT COMMUNITY GARDENS 

Contact members of the Ways and Means Committee and tell them why you support this effort to protect the gardens and why the New York State Assembly Ways and Means Committee should vote in favor of the bill. The members of the Ways and Means Committee can be found HERE