BILL NUMBER:  S5530A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the importation, breeding or introduction into the wild of
Chinese fire belly newts

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This legislation would prohibit the knowing importation, breeding, or
introduction into the wild of Chinese fire belly newts.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends the environmental conservation law by
adding a new section, 11-0514-a, to prohibit the importation,
breeding, or introduction into the wild of Chinese fire belly newts.
It also prohibits the possession, trade, sale, transportation, or
distribution of Chinese fire belly newts after September 1st, 2016,
and allows the Department of Environmental Conservation to adopt rules
and regulations necessary to enforce this policy.

Section 2 of the bill establishes that this act shall take effect
immediately.

              

 JUSTIFICATION :

In an era of increasing globalization, one of the foremost challenges
posed to New York's environment is the issue of invasive species.
These non-native species pose a unique threat, as their introduction
can disrupt a carefully balanced ecosystem by introducing a new
predator or disease to which the ecosystem is unable to quickly
adjust.

The Chinese fire belly newt carries a skin-eating fungus, known as
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, which has decimated the salamander
population of Belgium and the Netherlands, and is expected to spread
to other European nations. The fungus, which carries a 96 percent
mortality rate among European and American salamanders, reached Europe
due to the exportation of Chinese fire belly newts to other nations as
pets. If the fungus were to spread to the United States, millions of
salamanders will likely die and the extinctions of entire species may
occur.

There are already millions of Chinese fire belly newts in the United
States thanks to a booming global pet trade. Although scientists have
found no trace thus far of this deadly fungus, New York should act
quickly and decisively to prohibit the importation or introduction of
this non-native species in order to preserve our native populations of
salamanders and protect our ecosystem before it becomes too late.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None to the state.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.