Section 40-0101. Legislative findings and declarations

The  legislature  finds  and declares that the lands, water and air of
  New York state  constitute  an  irreplaceable  resource  upon  which  is
  founded  the  well-being  of  public  health,  economic vitality and the
  state's environment. These resources may be contaminated by releases  of
  hazardous substances from active and abandoned storage facilities.  Once
  these  resources are contaminated, they cannot be completely restored to
  their original state and therefore, contamination of the resources  must
  be  prevented  through  improved  safeguards  in  storage,  handling and
  processing of hazardous substances.
    The legislature finds and declares these releases to be  a  threat  to
  the  public  health  and  welfare  and hereby exercises the power of the
  state to prevent these releases from occurring through the establishment
  of a state regulatory program  governing  existing,  new  and  abandoned
  facilities.