Bill Text: NJ A3583 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Appropriates $20 million from societal benefits charge to DEP for drinking water infrastructure improvements and lead abatement in City of Newark.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-04-04 - Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee [A3583 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A3583-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman L. GRACE SPENCER
District 29 (Essex)
Assemblywoman ELIZABETH MAHER MUOIO
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblywoman ELIANA PINTOR MARIN
District 29 (Essex)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblyman NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Appropriates $20 million from societal benefits charge to DEP for drinking water infrastructure improvements and lead abatement in City of Newark.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning lead in drinking water and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3) of subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60), and any other law to the contrary, there is appropriated the sum of $20,000,000 from the societal benefits charge collected pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60) to the Department of Environmental Protection to provide funding to the City of Newark, Essex County, to make improvements to the water supply infrastructure to address elevated levels of lead found in drinking water in the city.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The bill would appropriate $20 million from the societal benefits charge (commonly referred to as the "Clean Energy Fund") to the Department of Environmental Protection to provide funding to the City of Newark, Essex County, to make improvements to the water supply infrastructure in order to address elevated levels of lead found in the drinking water.
This bill would provide critical funding to help solve one of the most important environmental problems facing the State, i.e., the decay of critical infrastructure that provides drinking water in order to protect the health and welfare of the State, its citizens, especially children, and the environment. Aging infrastructure and the deterioration of the physical assets of drinking water supply systems present serious risks to the integrity of drinking water and to the health and welfare of the citizens of the State. News reports earlier this year concerning the health crisis related to lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan, and more recently, the Department of Environmental Protection advising the Newark Public Schools system to temporarily utilize alternate water sources in 30 district school buildings after recent testing found elevated levels of lead at various water taps, point to the immediate need to address lead abatement in our drinking water in order to protect the public health.
Lead in drinking water comes from lead soldering, lead pipes, and leaded brass faucets. Too much lead in the human body can damage the nervous system, brain, and kidneys. Young children are at the greatest risk of toxic effects of lead.
