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Legislature tables plan to rescind Environmental Management Council after public pleas to keep it
Summary
Lawmakers tabled Local Law No. Five, which would rescind the county Environmental Management Council established in 1971, after public commenters and several legislators urged the council be preserved or reviewed rather than dissolved; the measure will be revisited after outreach to Soil & Water, Cooperative Extension and the Farm Bureau.
The Steuben County Legislature moved to table Local Law Tentatively No. Five — a proposal to rescind the 1971 County Environmental Management Council — after extended discussion and public comment on May 18, 2026. Public speakers and several legislators urged that the council be retained or reconstituted to advise on environmental issues, noting the council’s potential value even if it has been dormant in recent years.
Legislators who had initially supported rescission cited the council’s long inactivity and overlap with agencies such as the NYS DEC and Soil & Water; others said the right response is to reach out to partner agencies and stakeholders and consider reactivation rather than permanent elimination. The Legislature voted to table the proposal for further review and to engage Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water and the Farm Bureau in follow‑up discussions.
