1,100 acres added to Carmans River area

A bill adding 1,100 acres of land to the Carmans River Watershed was among 95 signed into law by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the governor's office announced Friday.

However, the governor vetoed a bill sponsored by Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) that would have required manufacturers of "sippy cups" to add a warning label about the danger of cavities. It was one of 33 bills Cuomo vetoed.

Assemb. Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), the sponsor of the bill to preserve land in the "sensitive area" around the Carmans River, called it "probably the biggest" environmental bill for Long Island this year.

"It's going to be very key in the Pine Barrens so its preservation has great significance not just for today but for always," Sweeney said.

However, Fuschillo said he was disappointed with Cuomo's veto of the sippy cup bill, noting that dentists have warned that if sippy cups filled with sugary beverages are held in the mouth for long periods of time, they can bathe the teeth with sugars and lead to cavities.

"Making parents aware of these medical warnings would help them better protect their children's health," he said.

The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the vetoes.

Other bills the governor approved include one drafted in response to protests at veterans' funerals by the Westboro Baptist Church. The law, which was sponsored by Iraq War veteran Sen. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), authorizes local governments to require permits for demonstrations within 1,000 feet of a funeral or memorial services for veterans.

Another bill signed into law was one sponsored by Assemb. Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) that adds unlawful sexual surveillance with a device such as a webcam to those that require a person convicted of that crime to register as a sex offender.

But the governor vetoed another Sweeney-sponsored bill, one that would have allowed municipalities and fire districts to bill transportation companies for cleanup costs after hazardous spills.

Sweeney said he didn't know why the governor vetoed the bill, which was supported by the Firemen's Association of the State of New York.

Former Gov. David A. Paterson vetoed a similar bill last year, but Sweeney said he thought they had fixed some "technical issues" in the current version. The bill will be reintroduced, he said.

The governor also vetoed a law that would have legalized the sale of fireworks in the state, except for New York City, a move that critics said would have brought fireworks dealers to the Nassau County border.