Bill Text: NJ S2161 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates State Dredging Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S2161 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S2161-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Creates State Dredging Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating the State Dredging Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the "State Dredging Task Force." The purpose of the task force shall be to investigate current dredging policies and practices. The task force shall review the current dredging policies and practices in the State and other states, and examine how states and the appropriate counties in this State and other states handle the process of dredging. The task force shall also examine new and innovative methods of disposal of dredged spoils, and shall recommend methods of disposal to be considered by the State, a schedule establishing a regular cycle of dredging projects, and ways to establish and maintain the State dredging project priority list.
b. The task force shall consist of 11 members as follows:
(1) two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall not be both of the same political party, and one of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate as chairperson of the task force;
(2) two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall not be both of the same political party, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly as vice chairperson of the task force;
(3) the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee;
(4) the Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee;
(5) the director of The Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology, or the director's designee;
(6) one representative of the academic community with expertise, knowledge, or experience in coastal or ocean ecosystems and habitat; and
(7) three representatives of coastal municipalities.
c. The task force shall call upon the United States Army Corps of Engineers and request the participation of a representative from that agency to serve on the task force, as a non-voting member, to provide information on the current status of dredging policies and practices as well as information regarding actions taken by other states concerning dredging.
d. The four public members shall be appointed by the Governor within 30 days after the date of enactment of this act.
e. Any vacancy in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
f. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
2. a. The State Dredging Task Force shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members. The task force shall hold a minimum of four public hearings, with at least one public hearing to be held in each of the north, south, and central regions of the State. The task force may also meet regularly as it may determine, or at the call of the chairperson of the task force or a majority of the task force's membership.
b. A majority of the membership of the task force shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of task force business. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions adopted by the task force at any meeting thereof by the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the task force in attendance at the meeting.
c. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of such employees of any State, county, or municipal department, authority, board, bureau, task force, agency, or entity, or of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey or Stevens Institute of Technology, or any other public institution of higher education in the State, as it may require and as may be available to it for the purpose of carrying out its duties under this act.
d. The Office of Legislative Services shall provide primary staff support to the task force.
3. The State Dredging Task Force shall prepare and submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within one year after the date of its organization.
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on the 30th day after the task force submits the final report required pursuant to section 3 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill would create the 11-member State Dredging Task Force to investigate current dredging policies and practices. The task force would review the current dredging policies and practices in the State and other states, and examine how states and the appropriate counties in this State and other states handle the process of dredging. The task force would also examine new and innovative methods of disposal of dredged spoils, and recommend methods of disposal to be considered by the State, a schedule establishing a regular cycle of dredging projects, and ways to establish and maintain the State dredging project priority list.
The task force would consist of 11 members as follows: two members of the Senate, not of the same party, appointed by the President of the Senate; two members, not of the same party, of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee; the Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee; the director of The Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology, or the director's designee; and four public members. The public members of the task force would be: one representative of the academic community with expertise, knowledge, or experience in coastal or ocean ecosystems and habitat; and three representatives of coastal municipalities.
The task force is also directed to call upon the United States Army Corps of Engineers and request the participation of a representative from that agency to serve on the task force, as a non-voting member, to provide information on the current status of dredging policies and practices as well as information regarding actions taken by other states concerning dredging.
The bill directs that one of the appointed Senators would be appointed by the President of the Senate to be the chairperson of the task force, and one of the appointed members of the General Assembly would be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly as the vice chairperson of the task force. The bill also requires the Governor to appoint the four public members within 30 days after enactment and the task force to organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members. The Office of Legislative Services is directed to provide primary staff support.
The task force is required to hold at least four public hearings with at least one hearing in each of the three main regions of the State. The task force would submit a final report of its findings and recommendation to the Governor and the Legislature within one year after the date of its organization.
