N.Y. ENV Law § 11-0311

§ 11-0311. Additional or other protection.\n 1. The department shall have power to give to any wildlife or fish,\nother than migratory fish of the sea, protection or additional\nprotection to that afforded by this article, if ten or more citizens\nfile with the department a petition signed by them stating the grounds\non which such protection is necessary and giving their addresses. If the\ndepartment entertains the petition it shall within twenty days\nthereafter hold a public hearing thereon in a place determined by it in\nthe locality affected. At least ten days before the hearing, notice\nthereof shall be advertised in a newspaper published in each county\naffected. The notice shall state the grounds of the application and a\ncopy thereof shall be mailed to each petitioner at least ten days before\nthe hearing.\n 2. If after the hearing the department determines that by reason of\ndisease danger of extermination or from other cause or reason, such\nspecies of fish or wildlife requires such additional or other\nprotection, either local or state-wide, the department may adopt\nregulations restricting the destruction, disturbance or taking of such\nspecies. Such regulations may be adopted for the entire state or any\npart of it.\n 3. A regulation adopted pursuant to this section is effective\naccording to its terms notwithstanding any other provision of the Fish\nand Wildlife Law.\n