Designates black dirt as the state soil and designates the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil.

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S3950-2013 Actions

• Feb 28, 2013: REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

S3950-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3950

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the state law, in relation to
designating black dirt as the state soil and to designate the black
dirt region as home to the most fertile soil

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:  Designates black dirt as the state
soil and designates the black dirt region in southern Orange County as
home to the most fertile soil.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the State Law by adding a new section 89 which
provides that black dirt is the official soil of the State of New York
and the black dirt region in southern Orange County is the official
home of the most fertile soil in the State of New York.

Section 2: Effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:  This bill designates the black dirt as the official
soil of New York State and the black dirt region as home to the most
fertile soil in the state. The black dirt region is located in
Southern Orange County, NY and comprises some 14,000 acres.

About 12,000 years ago, when glaciers receded from what is now lower
New York State, they left behind pockets of low-lying bogland that
built up deep layers of decayed plant matter. It wasn't until the
early 1900s that German, Polish and Dutch immigrants to Orange County
drained the bogs with a network of ditches, revealing a sulfur- and
nitrogen-rich black soil that in some places is 30 feet deep.

It is known for its dark color and nutrient rich properties perfect
for farming, some say the most fertile soil in North America is found
in the back dirt region. While most soils 'contain only up to about
10% organic material, the black dirt contains 30-50% even sometimes up
to 90% organic material. One half the onions grown in New York State
come from the black dirt region. Other crops grown in the black dirt
area include lettuce, radishes, cabbage, carrots, corn, pumpkin,
squash, as well as sod farms.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  A.9393 of 2012: Held for consideration in
Assembly Governmental Operations

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.

S3950-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    3950

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              February 28, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. BONACIC -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
    ment Operations

  AN ACT to amend the state law, in relation to designating black dirt  as
    the  state  soil and to designate the black dirt region as home to the
    most fertile soil

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.    The  state law is amended by adding a new section 89 to
  read as follows:

    S 89. STATE SOIL. BLACK DIRT SHALL BE THE OFFICIAL SOIL OF  THE  STATE
  OF  NEW YORK AND THE BLACK DIRT REGION LOCATED IN SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY
  SHALL BE THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE MOST FERTILE SOIL IN THE STATE OF  NEW
  YORK.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.






   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD05077-01-3