ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Tuesday that aims
to help stop the spread of invasive species in New York. "This
new law will give the (state) Department of Environmental
Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Markets the
tools they need to protect our state's ecology from the harm
that invasive species can cause," Cuomo said in a press release.
The legislation would require the DEC, in cooperation with the
Department of Agriculture and Markets, to restrict the sale,
purchase, possession, introduction, importation and transport of
invasive species. Working with the Invasive Species Council, the
state agencies would develop regulations for dealing with the
disposal and control of invasives, including a list of
prohibited species that would be illegal to knowingly possess
with the intent to sell, import, purchase or transport. Invasive
species threaten New York's environment by out-competing native
species, diminishing biological diversity, and changing whole
ecosystems. Invasive speci