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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
A person is guilty of endangering public health, safety or the environment in the second degree when:
1. He knowingly engages in conduct which causes the release of a substance hazardous to public health, safety or the environment and such release causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or
2. He knowingly engages in conduct which causes the release of a substance acutely hazardous to public health, safety or the environment or the release of a substance which at the time of the conduct he knows to meet any of the criteria set forth in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section 37-0103 of this chapter; or
3. He knowingly engages in conduct which causes the release of more than one thousand five hundred gallons or fifteen thousand pounds, whichever is less, of an aggregate weight or volume of a substance hazardous to public health, safety or the environment; or
4. He recklessly engages in conduct which causes the release of a substance acutely hazardous to public health, safety or the environment and such release causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or
5. He knowingly engages in conduct which causes the release of more than one hundred gallons or one thousand pounds, whichever is less, of an aggregate weight or volume of a substance hazardous to public health, safety or the environment and such substance enters water; or
6. He or she knowingly or recklessly engages in conduct which causes the release of a substance hazardous to public health, safety or the environment and such substance enters a primary water supply; or
7. With intent to dispose of construction and demolition debris, he or she intentionally engages in conduct that causes the unlawful disposal or release of either seventy cubic yards or more, or one hundred forty thousand pounds or more, of construction and demolition debris, as defined in section 71-2702 of this title; or
8. With intent to dispose of a hazardous substance on the property of another he or she intentionally engages in conduct that causes the unlawful disposal or release of a hazardous substance; or
9. He or she recklessly disposes of any acutely hazardous substance on any property.
Endangering public health, safety or the environment in the second degree is a class D felony.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Environmental Conservation Law - ENV § 71-2713. Endangering public health, safety or the environment in the second degree - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/environmental-conservation-law/env-sect-71-2713/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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