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Executive

July 2010, Executive Committee

Manhattan Borough Board Resolution in Opposition to Intro 58 (formerly Intro 650) Biological, Chemical and Radiological Detectors Legislation

WHEREAS: Several Manhattan Community Boards in 2008 opposed the City
Council's Intro 650 which would have implemented a proposed New York
City Police Department (NYPD) permitting system for biological,
chemical and radiological detectors; and

WHEREAS: An essentially similar bill was recently introduced as Intro 58 in the
current session of the Council by the Committee on Public Safety to
amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York, in relation to
biological, chemical and radiological detectors; and

WHEREAS: In the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11,
2001, residents and workers were repeatedly lied to by government
agencies about the quality of the air they breathed, and therefore, it is
important to maintain the right of individuals to maintaining the right to
independently test the air, water, and soil; and

WHEREAS: Residents should be empowered to hold the government accountable and
confirm for themselves, in a timely fashion, that their air is free of
hazardous chemicals, and

WHEREAS: We believe that this law would be the first time anyone would have to be
"permitted" to monitor the environment; and

WHEREAS: Intro 58 is overly broad and although it ostensibly is aimed at detectors of
weaponized chemical, biological and radioactive agents, it is written in a manner that will impact chemical, biological, radiological detectors in general;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
The Manhattan Borough Board supports the concept that anyone or any community
should have the right to monitor the air, water, soil, etc., and that the Manhattan Borough
Board opposes Intro 58.

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