New Jersey-2022-A1297-Introduced

An Act concerning the development and promotion of innovative drinking water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects, and supplementing P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-49 et al.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. In addition to the programs offered by the board pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60), the board shall establish a two-year program to provide grants, from the societal benefits charge collected pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60), for the development and promotion of innovative drinking water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects that would improve the quality and functioning of the State's publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater systems.

The program established pursuant to this section shall provide grants to individuals, businesses, business incubation facilities, not-for-profit corporations, and public and private institutions of higher education to develop and promote innovative technology that may be used as pilot or demonstration projects at publicly-owned drinking water supply or wastewater systems throughout the State to improve the quality and functioning of those systems. An upgrade or improvement to existing infrastructure shall not qualify for a grant pursuant to this act unless it is part of a pilot or demonstration project implementing an innovative new technology.

Innovative technologies and the pilot or demonstration projects developed pursuant to this program shall: improve the delivery of safe, clean water; improve overall water flow; improve water purification processes; aid in water conservation and energy efficiency efforts; improve system infrastructure; or otherwise assist publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater facilities, as applicable, with better, affordable, and cleaner methods to clean, conserve, and deliver water. Consideration shall be given to technologies and projects that implement energy efficiency measures or incorporate renewable energy technologies, including implementation of innovative technologies such as in-pipe hydropower, in order to reduce energy consumption and provide long-term sustainability and potential cost savings.

b. The board shall:

(1) develop this program in consultation with the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-4), the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology established pursuant to P.L.1999, c.400 (C.13:1D-134 et seq.), and any other entities or individual experts the board deems appropriate to assist in the development and promotion of new and emerging technologies to improve the quality, infrastructure, or overall operations of the State's drinking water supply or wastewater systems;

(2) solicit proposals for innovative technologies that may be used by a publicly-owned drinking water supply or wastewater system to improve the quality, infrastructure, or overall operations of the system;

(3) issue guidelines or procedures for the submittal of proposals for funding, and criteria for the evaluation of such proposals for funding;

(4) notify all publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater systems of this program and any solicitation for a proposal for innovative technology, and provide an opportunity for publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater systems to identify to the board any particular issues they may have and suggestions for solicitations for proposals;

(5) facilitate the coordination of interested publicly-owned drinking water supply or wastewater systems, as appropriate, with grant recipients for the implementation of the innovative technology;

(6) establish guidelines or procedures for the use of any proposal at a publicly-owned drinking water supply or wastewater system, and measures to evaluate the efficacy of the proposal and its suitability for use on drinking water supply or wastewater systems, as appropriate, throughout the State;

(7) publicize on its Internet website, and through any other appropriate means, the application procedures for the submittal of proposals and the awarding of grants pursuant to this act;

(8) require all grant recipients and publicly-owned drinking water supply or wastewater systems participating in a pilot or demonstration project to report to the board on the implementation of an innovative technology; and

(9) adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), such rules and regulations as may be necessary for implementation of this act.

c. The board shall determine the total amount of grants funded in each year of the program, and the amount of each grant awarded shall be determined by the board based on the proposals for innovative technologies it receives and the number of drinking water supply or wastewater systems at which each innovative technology may be implemented as a pilot or demonstration project.

d. The board shall submit, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report to the Legislature detailing the program established pursuant to this section and including a description of each grant awarded pursuant to this act. The report shall include an evaluation of each project funded and a recommendation as to whether the project is suitable for implementation Statewide.

2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on the first day of the 25th month after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish a two-year program to provide grants for the development and promotion of innovative drinking water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects that would improve the quality and functioning of the State's publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater systems.

Grants would be made available to individuals, businesses, business incubation facilities, not-for-profit corporations, and public and private institutions of higher education to develop and promote innovative technologies that may be used in pilot or demonstration projects at publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater systems, where appropriate, throughout the State to improve the quality and functioning of those systems. An upgrade or improvement to existing infrastructure would not qualify for a grant unless it is part of a pilot or demonstration project implementing an innovative new technology.

Innovative technologies and the pilot or demonstration projects developed pursuant to this program would: improve the delivery of safe, clean water; improve overall water flow; improve water purification processes; aid in water conservation and energy efficiency efforts; improve system infrastructure; or otherwise assist publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater facilities, as applicable, with better, affordable, and cleaner methods to clean, conserve, and deliver water. In addition, consideration would be given to technologies and projects that implement energy efficiency measures or incorporate renewable energy technologies, including implementation of innovative technologies such as in-pipe hydropower, in order to reduce energy consumption and provide long-term sustainability and potential cost savings.

The board would determine the total amount of grants funded in each year of the program, and the amount of each grant would be determined by the board based on the proposals for innovative technologies it receives and the number of drinking water supply or wastewater systems at which each innovative technology may be implemented as a pilot or demonstration project.

This bill is a "call to action" to form a public-private partnership to help solve one of the most important environmental problems facing the State, i.e., the decay of its critical infrastructure that provides drinking water and treats wastewater for the health and welfare of the State, its citizens, and the environment. The program is intended to assist publicly-owned drinking water supply and wastewater facilities that are thinking about the future and are looking for better, affordable, and cleaner ways to clean, conserve, and deliver water.