§ 252 — Powers of county agency

§ 252. Powers of county agency. 1. The agency, as empowered by the\nboard of supervisors, may assemble data relating to (1) the water\nresources available to the county, both within and without, (2) the\nnumber and location of private wells within the county, the contaminants\npresent in the water supply in the county's private wells, (for the\npurposes of this section, "contaminants" shall mean those substances\nfound in amounts or concentrations which violate federal, state or local\nlaws, guidelines or rules and regulations relating to drinking water or\nwhich may pose a risk to public health), the extent of contamination of\nthe water supply in the county's private wells, and the availability of\nappropriate treatment technologies for the contaminants found to be\npresent, or which are reasonably expected to be found, currently or in\nthe future, in the water supply in the county's private wells, (3) the\nsewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal problems of the\ncounty, (4) the problems of collection, conveyance and disposal of storm\nwater and other waters, (5) the problems of the collection and\ndisposition of garbage, ashes, rubbish and other waste matter within the\ncounty, or (6) any measures reasonably related to lake protection and\nrehabilitation, including surveys of sources of degradation, treatment\nof aquatic nuisances, and the elimination or alleviation of such\nproblems and the possibility of developing and utilizing existing\nfacilities to make them available to the several municipalities and\nother political subdivisions within the county, and may employ such\nengineering, legal, professional and other assistance as from time to\ntime may be needed, and may incur such other expenses as may be\nnecessary within the amounts made available therefor by budget\nappropriations. When authorized by the board of supervisors, the agency\nmay also apply for and expend state aid for comprehensive studies and\nreports pursuant to section 17-1901 of the environmental conservation\nlaw and comprehensive water studies and reports pursuant to title\nthirteen of article fifteen of the environmental conservation law. Where\nthe agency has sufficient engineering and technical staff available, the\nboard of supervisors may authorize the agency to render engineering and\nrelated technical services to municipalities located within the county\npursuant to contract on terms and conditions to be agreed upon by the\nagency and the municipality.\n 2. In the county of Suffolk, the county sewer agency may undertake\nsuch other duties, powers and responsibilities as may from time to time\nbe approved by or delegated to it by the board of supervisors and when\nauthorized by the board of supervisors, the county sewer agency, subject\nto the prior consent of the "local governing body" within whose\njurisdiction there exists a "sewer system" constructed, operated and\nmaintained by a sewerage disposal corporation organized pursuant to the\ntransportation corporations law, may acquire by purchase, gift,\ndedication, condemnation or otherwise such "sewer system" from, or all\nof the stock of, such "sewerage disposal corporation", and when\nauthorized by the county board of supervisors may expend county funds\nfor the acquisition of such "sewer system", and thereafter may operate,\nmanage and maintain said "sewer system". The terms "local governing\nbody", "sewer system" and "sewerage disposal corporation" being defined\nin article ten of the transportation corporations law. The board of\nsupervisors may finance in whole or in part, pursuant to the local\nfinance law, any expenditures made pursuant to this section. Subject to\nconfirmation by the board of supervisors, the county sewer agency may\nimpose sewer rents as provided by the general municipal law, provided\nthat before any such sewer rents are finally established, the county\nsewer agency shall hold at least one public hearing thereon. Appeals\nmay be taken from any rate fixing determination of the county sewer\nagency to the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall\nprescribe the manner of holding such hearings and of taking appeals. The\nprovisions of section two hundred sixty-six of this chapter shall apply\nto the imposition, collection and application of sewer rents by the\ncounty sewer agency hereunder.\n