Bill Text: NJ A501 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits Pinelands Commission from altering pinelands management area boundaries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [A501 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A501-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT J. POLISTINA
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman JOHN F. AMODEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits Pinelands Commission from altering pinelands management area boundaries.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning the boundaries for designated pinelands management areas and supplementing P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-1 et seq.), or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, to the contrary, the commission shall not alter the boundaries of any pinelands management area prescribed in the comprehensive management plan in effect on January 1, 2009.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would prohibit the Pinelands Commission from changing the boundaries of any pinelands management area prescribed in the comprehensive management plan in effect on January 1, 2009. Thus, upon enactment of this bill into law, changes to the boundaries of any pinelands management area contained in the current comprehensive management plan would need to be made by law.
The New Jersey Pinelands Commission is considering revisions to the boundaries of pinelands management areas based on a comprehensive re-examination of the region's ecological characteristics. Under the Pinelands protection program, there are nine land-use management areas with varying goals, objectives, development intensities and permitted uses. These management areas are charted on the Pinelands Land Use Capability Map. Commission staff recently completed a study, the "Ecological Integrity Assessment," that evaluates the current status of the Pinelands ecology by analyzing landscape and watershed conditions throughout the region. The commission is using information from this study, among other data, as it considers revising the various management area boundaries. The proposed changes are estimated to affect approximately six percent of the Pinelands Area. According to information posted on the commission's website, the commission intends to make revisions using the formal rulemaking process prescribed by the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), and anticipates starting the formal rulemaking process in late Spring 2009 or Winter 2010.
