Bill Text: NJ A4959 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Appropriates $53,249,310 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and Green Acres Program administrative costs.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-5)
Status: (Passed) 2022-12-22 - Approved P.L.2022, c.137. [A4959 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A4959-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Appropriates $53,249,310 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and Green Acres Program administrative costs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act appropriating $53,249,310 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues for the acquisition of lands by the State for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and certain administrative expenses.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $40,600,760 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for the acquisition of lands by the State for recreation and conservation purposes in accordance with the provisions of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.). Of the amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the sum of $207,000 is available due to interest earnings on the dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution.
b. The funds appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be allocated for the acquisition of lands within the locations of the projects set forth in paragraphs (1) through (10) of this subsection:
Project County Municipality
(1) CAPE MAY PENINSULA
Cape May Cape May City
Cape May Point Boro
Dennis Twp
Lower Twp
Middle Twp
Ocean City
Sea Isle City
Upper Twp
West Cape May Boro
Woodbine Boro
(2) CROSSROADS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Bergen Bogota Boro
Carlstadt Boro
East Rutherford Boro
Fort Lee Boro
Garfield City
Hackensack City
Hasbrouck Heights Boro
Leonia Boro
Little Ferry Boro
Lodi Boro
Lyndhurst Twp
Maywood Boro
Moonachie Boro
New Milford Boro
North Arlington Boro
Palisades Park Boro
Ridgefield Park Village
River Edge Boro
Rochelle Park Twp
Rutherford Boro
South Hackensack Twp
Teterboro Boro
Wallington Boro
Wood-Ridge Boro
Burlington Beverly City
Bordentown City
Bordentown Twp
Burlington City
Burlington Twp
Edgewater Park Twp
Fieldsboro Boro
Florence Twp
Hainesport Twp
Mansfield Twp
Maple Shade Twp
Moorestown Twp
Mount Holly Twp
Mount Laurel Twp
Palmyra Boro
Riverside Twp
Riverton Boro
Springfield Twp
Westampton Twp
Willingboro Twp
Camden Audubon Boro
Audubon Park Boro
Brooklawn Boro
Camden City
Cherry Hill Twp
Collingswood Boro
Gloucester City
Haddon Heights Boro
Haddon Twp
Haddonfield Boro
Merchantville Boro
Mount Ephraim Boro
Oaklyn Boro
Pennsauken Twp
Woodlynne Boro
Essex Belleville Twp
Irvington Twp
Livingston Twp
Maplewood Twp
Millburn Twp
Newark City
Nutley Twp
Gloucester National Park Boro
West Deptford Twp
Westville Boro
Hunterdon Delaware Twp
East Amwell Twp
Flemington Boro
Franklin Twp
Frenchtown Boro
Kingwood Twp
Lambertville City
Raritan Twp
Readington Twp
Stockton Boro
West Amwell Twp
Mercer All municipalities
Middlesex All municipalities
Monmouth Aberdeen Twp
Allentown Boro
Colts Neck Twp
Englishtown Boro
Freehold Boro
Freehold Twp
Holmdel Twp
Manalapan Twp
Marlboro Twp
Matawan Boro
Millstone Twp
Roosevelt Boro
Upper Freehold Twp
Wall Twp
Morris Boonton Town
Boonton Twp
Butler Boro
Chatham Boro
Chatham Twp
Chester Boro
Denville Twp
Dover Town
East Hanover Twp
Florham Park Boro
Hanover Twp
Harding Twp
Kinnelon Boro
Lincoln Park Boro
Long Hill Twp
Madison Boro
Mendham Boro
Mendham Twp
Mine Hill Twp
Montville Twp
Morris Plains Boro
Morris Twp
Morristown Town
Mountain Lakes Boro
Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp
Pequannock Twp
Randolph Twp
Riverdale Boro
Rockaway Boro
Rockaway Twp
Victory Gardens Boro
Wharton Boro
Passaic Clifton City
Passaic City
Somerset All municipalities
Union All municipalities
(3) DELAWARE AND RARITAN CANAL GREENWAY
Hunterdon Delaware Twp
Kingwood Twp
Lambertville City
Stockton Boro
West Amwell Twp
Mercer Ewing Twp
Hamilton Twp
Hopewell Twp
Lawrence Twp
Princeton Boro
Trenton City
Middlesex New Brunswick City
Plainsboro Twp
South Brunswick Twp
Somerset Franklin Twp
(4) DELAWARE BAY WATERSHED GREENWAY
Atlantic Buena Boro
Buena Vista Twp
Cape May Dennis Twp
Lower Twp
Middle Twp
Upper Twp
Cumberland All municipalities
Gloucester Clayton Boro
Elk Twp
Franklin Twp
Glassboro Boro
Monroe Twp
Newfield Boro
Salem Alloway Twp
Carneys Point Twp
Elmer Boro
Elsinboro Twp
Lower Alloways Creek Twp
Mannington Twp
Oldmans Twp
Pennsville Twp
Pilesgrove Twp
Pittsgrove Twp
Quinton Twp
Upper Pittsgrove Twp
Woodstown Boro
(5) DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED GREENWAY
Burlington Bordentown City
Bordentown Twp
Chesterfield Twp
Cinnaminson Twp
Delanco Twp
Delran Twp
Eastampton Twp
Hainesport Twp
Lumberton Twp
Mansfield Twp
Medford Twp
Moorestown Twp
Mount Holly Twp
Mount Laurel Twp
North Hanover Twp
Pemberton Twp
Riverside Twp
Southampton Twp
Springfield Twp
Westhampton Twp
Willingboro Twp
Camden Berlin Twp
Camden City
Clementon Boro
Gibbsboro Boro
Gloucester Twp
Haddon Twp
Lindenwold Boro
Pine Hill Boro
Voorhees Twp
Gloucester Deptford Twp
East Greenwich Twp
Elk Twp
Greenwich Twp
Harrison Twp
Logan Twp
National Park Boro
South Harrison Twp
Westville Boro
Woolwich Twp
West Deptford Twp
Hunterdon Alexandria Twp
Delaware Twp
Frenchtown Boro
Kingwood Twp
Lambertville City
Stockton Boro
West Amwell Twp
Mercer Ewing Twp
Hamilton Twp
Hopewell Twp
Robbinsville Twp
Trenton City
Monmouth Allentown Boro
Millstone Twp
Upper Freehold Twp
Ocean Jackson Twp
Plumsted Twp
Salem Oldmans Twp
Pilesgrove Twp
Upper Pittsgrove Twp
(6) HIGHLANDS GREENWAY
Bergen Mahwah Twp
Oakland Boro
Hunterdon Alexandria Twp
Bethlehem Twp
Bloomsbury Boro
Califon Boro
Clinton Town
Clinton Twp
Glen Gardner Boro
Hampton Boro
High Bridge Boro
Holland Twp
Lebanon Boro
Lebanon Twp
Milford Boro
Tewksbury Twp
Union Twp
Morris Boonton Town
Boonton Twp
Butler Boro
Chester Boro
Chester Twp
Denville Twp
Dover Town
Hanover Twp
Harding Twp
Jefferson Twp
Kinnelon Boro
Mendham Boro
Mendham Twp
Mine Hill Twp
Montville Twp
Morris Plains Boro
Morris Twp
Morristown Town
Mount Arlington Boro
Mount Olive Twp
Mountain Lakes Boro
Netcong Boro
Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp
Pequannock Twp
Randolph Twp
Riverdale Boro
Rockaway Boro
Rockaway Twp
Roxbury Twp
Victory Gardens Boro
Washington Twp
Wharton Boro
Passaic Bloomingdale Boro
Pompton Lakes Boro
Ringwood Boro
Wanaque Boro
West Milford Twp
Somerset Bedminster Twp
Bernards Twp
Bernardsville Boro
Far Hills Boro
Peapack-Gladstone Boro
Sussex Byram Twp
Franklin Boro
Green Twp
Hamburg Boro
Hardyston Twp
Hopatcong Boro
Ogdensburg Boro
Sparta Twp
Stanhope Boro
Vernon Twp
Warren Allamuchy Twp
Alpha Boro
Belvidere Town
Franklin Twp
Frelinghuysen Twp
Greenwich Twp
Hackettstown Town
Harmony Twp
Hope Twp
Independence Twp
Liberty Twp
Lopatcong Twp
Mansfield Twp
Oxford Twp
Phillipsburg Town
Pohatcong Twp
Washington Boro
Washington Twp
White Twp
(7) HISTORIC RESOURCES
Allaire State Park
Monmouth Howell Twp
Wall Twp
Fort Mott Officers Quarters
Salem Pennsville Twp
Griggstown Muletenders Barracks
Somerset Franklin Twp
Historic Sites
Burlington Medford Twp
Monmouth Red Bank Boro
Monmouth Battlefield
Monmouth Freehold Twp
Manalapan Twp
New Bridge Landing
Bergen New Milford Boro
River Edge Boro
Princeton Battlefield
Mercer Princeton Boro
Proprietary House
Middlesex Perth Amboy City
Register Eligible Sites
Somerset Green Brook Twp
Watchung Boro
Rockingham Farmstead
Somerset Franklin Twp
Twin Lights
Monmouth Highlands Boro
Washington Crossing State Park
Mercer Ewing Twp
Hopewell Twp
Waterloo Village
Sussex Byram Twp
Stanhope Boro
(8) PINELANDS
Atlantic Brigantine City
Buena Boro
Buena Vista Twp
Corbin City
Egg Harbor City
Egg Harbor Twp
Estell Manor City
Folsom Boro
Galloway Twp
Hamilton Twp
Hammonton Town
Mullica Twp
Port Republic City
Weymouth Twp
Burlington Bass River Twp
Evesham Twp
Medford Lakes Boro
Medford Twp
New Hanover Twp
North Hanover Twp
Pemberton Twp
Shamong Twp
Southampton Twp
Springfield Twp
Tabernacle Twp
Washington Twp
Woodland Twp
Wrightstown Boro
Camden Berlin Boro
Berlin Twp
Chesilhurst Boro
Waterford Twp
Winslow Twp
Cape May Dennis Twp
Middle Twp
Upper Twp
Woodbine Boro
Cumberland Maurice River Twp
Vineland City
Gloucester Franklin Twp
Monroe Twp
Ocean Barnegat Twp
Beachwood Boro
Berkeley Twp
Eagleswood Twp
Jackson Twp
Lacey Twp
Lakehurst Boro
Little Egg Harbor Twp
Manchester Twp
Ocean Twp
Plumsted Twp
South Toms River Boro
Stafford Twp
Toms River Twp
Tuckerton Boro
(9) RIDGE AND VALLEY GREENWAY
Sussex Andover Boro
Andover Twp
Branchville Boro
Frankford Twp
Fredon Twp
Green Twp
Hampton Twp
Lafayette Twp
Montague Twp
Newton Town
Sandyston Twp
Stillwater Twp
Sussex Boro
Walpack Twp
Wantage Twp
Warren Blairstown Twp
Frelinghuysen Twp
Hackettstown Town
Hardwick Twp
Hope Twp
Knowlton Twp
Liberty Twp
(10) URBAN PARKS
Bergen Edgewater Boro
Camden Camden City
Essex Belleville Twp
Bloomfield Twp
Caldwell Boro
Cedar Grove Twp
East Orange City
Glen Ridge Boro
Irvington Twp
Maplewood Twp
Montclair Twp
Newark City
Nutley Twp
Orange City Twp
South Orange Village Twp
West Orange Twp
Hudson All municipalities
Mercer Trenton City
Middlesex Edison Twp
Monmouth Long Branch City
Passaic Paterson City
Totowa Boro
Union Elizabeth City
Fanwood Boro
Garwood Boro
Hillside Twp
Linden City
Plainfield City
Rahway City
Roselle Boro
Roselle Park Boro
Union Twp
Winfield Twp
TOTAL $40,600,760
c. The expenditure of funds appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section for any project listed in subsection b. of this section shall not require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor.
d. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection b. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any State project that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, established pursuant to the "Garden State Preservation Trust Act," P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), or the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for recreation and conservation purposes shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.
For the purposes of this subsection, "Green Acres bond act" means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, and P.L.1989, c.183.
2. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $10 million from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for the acquisition, for recreation and conservation purposes, of lands throughout the State that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage. Of the amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the sum of $71,000 is available due to interest earnings on the dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution.
b. The funds appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be allocated as follows:
Project County Municipality Amount
BLUE ACRES $10,000,000
Every county Every municipality
TOTAL $10,000,000
c. The expenditure of moneys appropriated pursuant to this section is subject to the provisions of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
3. a. There is reappropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the unexpended balances, due to project cancellations or cost savings, of the amounts appropriated or reappropriated from this act, any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, established pursuant to the "Garden State Preservation Trust Act," P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), or the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for State projects to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the purpose of providing additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any State project that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, or the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund" for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to section 1 of this act, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor. Any such additional funding provided from a Green Acres bond act may include administrative costs.
b. For the purposes of this section, "Green Acres bond act" means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, and P.L.1989, c.183.
4. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $2,648,550 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for paying administrative costs associated with administering the applicable provisions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
5. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), the sum of $53,249,310 to implement the provisions of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill appropriates the sum of $53,249,310 to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide funding for the acquisition by the State of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including for Blue Acres projects, pursuant to the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
The funding in this bill is provided from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, approved by the voters of the State in November 2014. The "Preserve New Jersey Act" implements the constitutional dedication of CBT revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation. The act provides that a certain amount of the portion of dedicated CBT revenues allocated each year for the Green Acres program is to be used for: the acquisition of lands for open space, including Blue Acres projects, and development projects on State lands administered by the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Forestry; grants and loans to fund local government open space acquisition and development projects; and grants to nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. This bill appropriates moneys for State open space acquisition projects, including for Blue Acres projects.
Specifically, this bill appropriates $40,600,760 to the DEP from the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund" to provide funding for the acquisition by the State of lands for recreation and conservation purposes. This appropriation allocates funding for the acquisition by the State of lands, for recreation and conservation purposes, located throughout the State within the ten project categories identified in section 1 of the bill. The bill also appropriates $10 million to the DEP to provide funding for the acquisition by the State, for recreation and conservation purposes, of properties throughout the State that are prone to or have incurred flood or storm damage, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage, i.e., "Blue Acres" projects. In addition, the bill appropriates $2,648,550 to the DEP for the purposes of paying administrative costs associated with administering the applicable provisions of the "Preserve New Jersey Act."
The "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund" was established by section 6 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act." P.L.2019, c.136 amended the "Preserve New Jersey Act" to incorporate the purposes of the "Preserve New Jersey Blue Acres Fund" into the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," rather than having two separate funds, both providing moneys to the DEP's Green Acres program for the acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes. Of the funding allocated for the acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes by the State, a minimum of 10 percent is to be allocated for Blue Acres projects.
The projects and appropriations listed in this bill have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust.
Lastly, the bill authorizes the department to re-distribute certain other moneys made available by project cancellations or cost savings to provide additional funding, for recreation and conservation purposes, to previously approved and funded State projects, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee. The bill provides that the additional funding, if provided from a Green Acres bond act, may include administrative costs.
