Bill Text: NJ S2246 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Appropriates $55 million from "2009 Green Acres Fund" for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and approves $2,400,800 from 1995 bond act for coastal blue acres projects.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 44-20)
Status: (Passed) 2013-01-25 - Approved P.L.2013, c.8. [S2246 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2246-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Senator JENNIFER BECK
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Greenstein, Addiego, Allen, Bateman, A.R.Bucco, Cardinale, Connors, Doherty, Holzapfel, Kyrillos, O'Toole, Pennacchio, Singer and Thompson
SYNOPSIS
Appropriates $55 million from "2009 Green Acres Fund" for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and approves $2,400,800 from 1995 bond act for coastal blue acres projects.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act appropriating $55,000,000 from the "2009 Green Acres Fund" to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, approving $2,400,800 for coastal blue acres projects, and amending P.L.1995, c.204.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Densely or highly populated municipality" means a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile, or a population of at least 35,000 persons, according to the latest federal decennial census.
"Densely populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.
"Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" means the fund established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19).
"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, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.
"Highly populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.
2. There is appropriated $55,000,000 from the "2009 Green Acres Fund" established pursuant to section 17 of the "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," P.L.2009, c.117, to the Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 3 of this act, and for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 4 of this act.
3. a. The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
(1) Planning Incentive Acquisition Projects:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Atlantic County |
Atlantic |
Atlantic County Open Space Acq
|
$650,000
|
|
Closter Boro |
Bergen |
Brook's Farm Plan Acq |
325,000
|
|
Franklin Lakes Boro |
Bergen |
Haledon Reservoir Acq |
230,250
|
|
Oakland Boro |
Bergen |
Open Space & Recreation Plan |
325,000
|
|
Ridgewood Village |
Bergen |
Open Space Project |
325,000
|
|
River Vale Twp |
Bergen |
Watershed Property Acq |
325,000
|
|
Burlington County |
Burlington |
Planning Incentive |
650,000
|
|
Bordentown Twp |
Burlington |
Bordentown Twp Open Space Acq
|
325,000 |
|
Eastampton Twp |
Burlington |
Planning Incentive |
325,000
|
|
Medford Twp |
Burlington |
Open Space Incentive |
325,000
|
|
Moorestown Twp |
Burlington |
Open Space Preservation Plan |
325,000
|
|
Voorhees Twp |
Camden |
Planning Incentive Grant |
325,000
|
|
Cumberland County |
Cumberland |
Acq Trails & Open Space |
465,000
|
|
Gloucester County |
Gloucester |
Open Space Plan |
650,000
|
|
East Greenwich Twp |
Gloucester |
Open Space & Recreation Plan
|
300,000 |
|
Woolwich Twp |
Gloucester |
Open Space Plan |
125,800
|
|
Clinton Twp |
Hunterdon |
Open Space Acq Plan |
325,000
|
|
Delaware Twp |
Hunterdon |
Open Space Acq |
220,000
|
|
High Bridge Boro |
Hunterdon |
Open Space Plan |
325,000
|
|
Readington Twp |
Hunterdon |
Greenway Incentive Plan |
325,000
|
|
Tewksbury Twp |
Hunterdon |
Recreation & Open Space Plan |
325,000
|
|
Union Twp |
Hunterdon |
Union Twp Open Space Plan |
325,000
|
|
East Windsor Twp |
Mercer |
East Windsor Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Hopewell Twp |
Mercer |
Hopewell Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Princeton Twp |
Mercer |
Princeton Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Robbinsville Twp |
Mercer |
Green Links Program |
325,000
|
|
West Windsor Twp |
Mercer |
West Windsor Planning, Inc. |
325,000
|
|
Allentown Boro |
Monmouth |
Planning Incentive Acq |
250,000
|
|
Colts Neck Twp |
Monmouth |
Planning Incentive |
325,000
|
|
Manasquan Boro |
Monmouth |
Open Space Acq
|
280,000
|
|
Millstone Twp |
Monmouth |
Planning Incentive - Project Evergreen |
325,000
|
|
Tinton Falls Boro |
Monmouth |
Tinton Falls Acq |
325,000
|
|
Chester Twp |
Morris |
Chester Twp Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Florham Park Boro |
Morris |
Open Space Acq |
135,000
|
|
Hanover Twp |
Morris |
Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Harding Twp |
Morris |
Harding Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Kinnelon Boro |
Morris |
Open Space Acq |
250,000
|
|
Madison Boro |
Morris |
Madison Boro Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Montville Twp |
Morris |
Montville Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Mount Olive Twp |
Morris |
Mount Olive Greenway Acq |
325,000
|
|
Pequannock Twp |
Morris |
Planning Incentive |
325,000
|
|
Riverdale Boro |
Morris |
Van Ness House & Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Roxbury Twp |
Morris |
Roxbury Open Space Plan |
325,000
|
|
Ocean County |
Ocean |
Planning Incentive Grant |
650,000
|
|
Little Egg Harbor Twp |
Ocean |
Planning Incentive |
325,000
|
|
Point Pleasant Beach Boro |
Ocean |
Open Space & Recreation Acq |
325,000
|
|
West Milford Twp |
Passaic |
Apple Acres Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Bedminster Twp |
Somerset |
Bedminster Parks Exp |
325,000
|
|
Montgomery Twp |
Somerset |
Open Space Acq 5 |
325,000
|
|
Peapack-Gladstone Boro |
Somerset |
Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
Andover Boro |
Sussex |
Open Space & Recreation Plan
|
325,000 |
|
Lafayette Twp |
Sussex |
Open Space & Recreation Plan |
325,000
|
|
Knowlton Twp |
Warren |
Open Space Acq |
325,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$17,856,050
|
(2) Site Specific Incentive Acquisition Projects:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Port Republic City |
Atlantic |
Percoskie Acq
|
$140,000 |
|
Cape May City |
Cape May |
Lafayette St. Open Space Recreation
|
325,000 |
|
Long Hill Twp |
Morris |
Passaic River Basin Property Acq |
325,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$790,000
|
(3) Standard Acquisition Projects:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Brigantine City |
Atlantic |
Former Gulf Station Acq |
$182,500
|
|
Hillsdale Boro |
Bergen |
Hillsdale Flood Prone Properties |
325,000
|
|
Ocean City |
Cape May |
19th Street Beachfront |
325,000
|
|
Hopewell Twp |
Cumberland |
Hopewell Bridgeton Acq
|
325,000 |
|
Deptford Twp |
Gloucester |
Whispering Lakes Property
|
325,000 |
|
Mantua Twp |
Gloucester |
Maple Ridge Property Acq
|
325,000 |
|
Wenonah Boro |
Gloucester |
Maple Ridge Property Acq
|
325,000 |
|
Aberdeen Twp |
Monmouth |
Freneau Lands Acq |
325,000
|
|
Ocean Twp |
Monmouth |
Blue Acres Acq |
325,000
|
|
Lincoln Park Boro |
Morris |
Lincoln Park Floodplain Acq |
325,000
|
|
Pompton Lakes Boro |
Passaic |
Floodplain Acq |
325,000
|
|
Totowa Boro |
Passaic |
Flood Acquisition Project |
325,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$3,757,500
|
b. The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.), either as of June 30, 2012 or the effective date of this act, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Garfield City |
Bergen |
Passaic River Historic Park Acq |
$187,800
|
|
Bridgeton City |
Cumberland |
Bridgeton Hopewell Acq |
650,000
|
|
Union City |
Hudson |
Weehawken - Union City Reservoir Acq
|
650,000 |
|
Weehawken Twp |
Hudson |
Weehawken - Union City Reservoir Acq
|
650,000 |
|
Roselle Boro |
Union |
Extension of Arminio Park |
237,800
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$2,375,600
|
c. The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties or highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Galloway Twp |
Atlantic |
Dellanoce Property |
$132,250
|
|
Bergen County |
Bergen |
Open Space Plan Acq |
812,500
|
|
Fair Lawn Boro |
Bergen |
Open Space Acq |
487,500
|
|
Saddle Brook Twp |
Bergen |
Flood Mitigation |
487,500
|
|
Evesham Twp |
Burlington |
Planning Incentive |
487,500
|
|
Mount Laurel Twp |
Burlington |
Mt. Laurel Acq Plan |
487,500
|
|
Washington Twp |
Gloucester |
Open Space & Recreation Project |
487,500
|
|
Mercer County |
Mercer |
Mercer County Planning Incentive |
812,500
|
|
Middlesex County |
Middlesex |
Open Space Acq |
812,500
|
|
East Brunswick Twp
|
Middlesex |
Open Space Plan |
487,500
|
|
North Brunswick Twp |
Middlesex |
North Brunswick Plan |
487,500
|
|
South Brunswick Twp |
Middlesex |
Open Space Acq |
487,500
|
|
Monmouth County |
Monmouth |
Planning Incentive Acq |
812,500
|
|
Howell Twp |
Monmouth |
Howell Twp Planning Incentive |
487,500
|
|
Manalapan Twp |
Monmouth |
Planning Incentive Acq
|
487,500
|
|
Middletown Twp |
Monmouth |
Middletown Twp Planning Incentive
|
487,500 |
|
Morristown Town |
Morris |
Early Street Community Garden Acq |
487,500
|
|
Jackson Twp |
Ocean |
Open Space Acq Plan
|
487,500 |
|
Manchester Twp |
Ocean |
Planning Incentive |
487,500
|
|
Passaic County |
Passaic |
Open Space Plan Acq |
750,000
|
|
Hawthorne Boro |
Passaic |
Flood Prone Properties Acq |
220,000
|
|
Little Falls Twp |
Passaic |
Little Falls Floodplain Acq |
487,500
|
|
Wayne Twp |
Passaic |
Wayne Open Space Acq |
487,500
|
|
Franklin Twp |
Somerset |
Open Space Plan Acq |
487,500
|
|
Hillsborough Twp |
Somerset |
Hillsborough Land Acq |
487,500
|
|
Somerville Boro |
Somerset |
Somerville Green Seam Acq |
306,400
|
|
Union County |
Union |
Open Space & Recreation Plan |
975,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$14,408,650
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
|
|
$39,187,800
|
4. a. The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Lambertville City |
Hunterdon |
Cavallo Park Improvements
|
$300,000 |
|
Mount Arlington Boro |
Morris |
Public Beach Park Improvements Ph.4
|
300,000 |
|
Long Beach Twp |
Ocean |
Multipark Improvements
|
200,000 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$800,000
|
b. The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.) either as of June 30, 2012 or the effective date of this act, or sponsored by densely populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Pleasantville City |
Atlantic |
Bayview Avenue Waterfront Park |
$600,000
|
|
Camden County |
Camden |
North Camden Waterfront Park Dev. |
750,000
|
|
Camden City |
Camden |
Von Neida Park Phase II |
500,000
|
|
Pennsauken Twp |
Camden |
Meadowbrook Park Revitalization
|
322,000 |
|
Essex County |
Essex |
Multi-Parks Improvements
|
900,000
|
|
Newark City |
Essex |
Minish Park Passaic Riverfront Development Project
|
600,000
|
|
Orange City Twp |
Essex |
Multi-Park Improvements - Phase III and IV |
600,000
|
|
Hudson County |
Hudson |
Multi-Use Recreation Facility |
900,000
|
|
Hoboken City |
Hudson |
Elysian Park Development
|
600,000
|
|
Jersey City |
Hudson |
Skyway Riverfront Park |
600,000
|
|
Kearny Town |
Hudson |
All Season Surface & Fitness Trail |
565,150
|
|
North Bergen Twp |
Hudson |
Riverfront Park Development |
600,000
|
|
West New York Town
|
Hudson |
Multi-Park Improvements |
600,000 |
|
Trenton City |
Mercer |
Hetzel Field Park Development |
600,000
|
|
Middlesex County |
Middlesex |
Medwick Park 2 |
750,000
|
|
Carteret Boro |
Middlesex |
Waterfront Marina |
565,150
|
|
Long Branch City |
Monmouth |
Boardwalk Repair |
600,000
|
|
Neptune Twp |
Monmouth |
Shark River Marina Improvements |
600,000
|
|
Brick Twp |
Ocean |
Trader's Cove Marina Park |
600,000
|
|
Passaic County |
Passaic |
Weasel Brook Park Improvements
|
309,900
|
|
Union County |
Union |
Oak Ridge Park Phase I
|
900,000
|
|
Elizabeth City |
Union |
Elizabeth River Trail Phase II |
600,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$13,662,200
|
c. The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Atlantic City |
Atlantic |
Chelsea Heights Complex Renovation & Linkage
|
$450,000
|
|
Edgewater Boro |
Bergen |
Veteran's Field Improvements |
450,000
|
|
Rutherford Boro |
Bergen |
Memorial Field & Lincoln Woods Upgrade |
450,000
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$1,350,000
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
|
|
$15,812,200 |
5. a. Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in section 3 or section 4 of this act shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.
b. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in section 3 or section 4 of this act are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to this act, 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.
6. a. There is reappropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the unexpended balances, due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, of the amounts appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the purposes of providing:
(1) grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for projects approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to this act; and
(2) additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to 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. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection such sums as may be, or may become, available on or before June 30, 2013, due to interest earnings or loan repayments in any "Green Trust Fund" established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act or in the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, for the purpose of providing:
(1) grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for projects approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to this act; and
(2) additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to 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.
7. The following projects to acquire, for recreation and conservation purposes, lands in the coastal area that have been damaged by storms or storm-related flooding, as authorized pursuant to subsection a. of section 11 of the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, 204, are eligible for funding with the moneys from the "1995 New Jersey Coastal Blue Acres Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 27 of the P.L.1995, c.204 and appropriated to the department pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1997, c.283:
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
|
COUNTY |
PROJECT |
APPROVED AMOUNT |
|
Linwood City |
Atlantic |
Patcong Creek Open Space Acq |
$953,000
|
|
Cape May City |
Cape May |
Lafayette Street Open Space Acq |
792,050
|
|
Fair Haven Boro |
Monmouth |
Waterfront Park Acq |
655,750
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$2,400,800 |
8. Section 12 of P.L.1995, c.204 is amended to read as follows:
12. a. (1) For a coastal Blue Acres project funded pursuant to subsection a. of section 11 of this act, a local government unit shall receive a grant of 50% and a loan of up to 50% of the coastal Blue Acres cost of acquisition of the lands.
(2) For a coastal Blue Acres project funded pursuant to subsection b. of section 11 of this act, a local government unit shall receive a grant of up to 75% and a loan for up to the remaining percentage of the coastal Blue Acres cost of acquisition of the lands.
(3) Loans made to local government units for coastal Blue Acres projects from the "1995 New Jersey Coastal Blue Acres Trust Fund" established pursuant to section 27 of this act shall bear interest of not more than 2% per year, and shall be for a term of not more than 20 years.
(4) Local government units in the coastal area eligible to apply for, or that have received, funding pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program shall remain eligible to apply, and shall be considered, for funding pursuant to the Green Acres bond program in the same manner and according to the same criteria as other local government units located outside of the coastal area. Participation of a local government unit in the coastal Blue Acres bond program shall not be reason to deny funding to that local government unit under the Green Acres bond program.
b. The local government unit share of the coastal Blue Acres cost of an acquisition of lands may be reduced (1) by the fair market value, as determined by the commissioner, of any portion of the lands to be acquired which have been donated to, or otherwise received without cost by, the local government unit; or (2) in the case of a conveyance of the lands, or any portion thereof, to the local government unit at less than fair market value, by the difference between fair market value thereof at the time of the conveyance and the conveyance price thereof to the local government unit.
c. (1) Only the following lands in the coastal area shall be eligible for acquisition by a local government unit utilizing funds made available pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program: lands anywhere on a coastal barrier island, or elsewhere any lands within 150 feet landward of the mean high water line of any tidal waters or the landward limit of a beach or dune, whichever is most landward. If only a portion of a parcel being considered for acquisition lies within the 150 foot boundary, the entire parcel, including that portion lying outside of the 150 foot boundary, shall be eligible for acquisition.
(2) No lands with improvements upon them shall be eligible to be acquired utilizing funds made available pursuant to subsection a. of section 11 of this act unless the value of the improvements thereon shall have been reduced by at least 50% due to damage caused by a storm or storm related flooding.
d. (1) A local government unit shall not utilize the power of eminent domain in any manner to acquire lands utilizing funds made available pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program; such lands shall be acquired only from willing sellers. A local government applying for funds made available pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program shall provide written proof to the commissioner that the lands to be acquired are being offered willingly by the seller to the local government unit.
(2) The commissioner shall establish an expedited review procedure for applications for funds made available pursuant to subsection a. of section 11 of this act.
e. (1) Decisions concerning the awarding of grants or loans to assist local government units to meet the coastal Blue Acres cost of acquisition of lands using the proceeds of bonds issued by the State under this act shall be based upon priority ranking criteria to be established by the commissioner, including, but not limited to, the extent and feasibility of public access and parking, the extent of damage caused by a storm or storm related flooding, proximity to other lands already protected or likely to be protected in the future for recreation and conservation purposes, proximity to other lands already acquired or under consideration for acquisition pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program, ease of maintenance of the property, and the extent to which acquisition of the lands will likely help avoid future public costs resulting from storms and storm related flooding.
(2) Expenditure of any funds made available pursuant to subsection a. of section 11 of this act for a particular coastal Blue Acres project shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor , or by law .
f. Upon a finding by the Governor that a major catastrophic storm event has occurred, the Governor, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor, may authorize use of any or all of the unexpended funds allocated pursuant to subsection b. of section 11 of this act for the purposes of subsection a. of section 11 of this act.
g. (1) The Office of Green Acres in the Department of Environmental Protection shall administer the coastal Blue Acres bond program.
(2) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to this act or any other law, or any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, acquisitions of lands by local government units pursuant to the coastal Blue Acres bond program shall be regarded and regulated by the State in the same manner as lands acquired by local government units pursuant to the Green Acres bond program, and shall be subject to the provisions of P.L.1961, c.45 (C.13:8A 1 et seq.), P.L.1971, c.419 (C.13:8A 19 et seq.), and P.L.1975, c.155 (C.13:8A 35 et seq.), and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.204, s.12)
9. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill appropriates $55 million from the "2009 Green Acres Fund" to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide grants or low-interest loans, or both, to assist local government units in the State to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. This bill also provides $2,400,800 to local government units for three "coastal blue acres projects" with funds provided by the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204. The total amount of funding allocated for local government projects that are listed in this bill is $57,400,800.
Of the amount from the "2009 Green Acres Fund," $39,187,800 is for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and $15,812,200 is for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The "2009 Green Acres Fund" was established pursuant to the "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," P.L.2009, c.117.
Of the sum from the "2009 Green Acres Fund" for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservations purposes: $17,856,050 is allocated for planning incentive open space acquisition projects; $790,000 is allocated for site specific incentive open space acquisition projects; $3,757,500 is allocated for standard open space acquisition projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities that do not have an open space tax); $2,375,600 is allocated for projects in "urban aid" municipalities; and $14,408,650 is allocated for projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely or highly populated counties. (Planning incentive open space acquisition projects and standard open space acquisition projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely or highly populated counties are listed under the category of projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely or highly populated counties, rather than under the category of planning incentive open space acquisition projects or standard open space acquisition projects.)
Of the sum from the "2009 Green Acres Fund" for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservations purposes: $800,000 is allocated for standard open space development projects (i.e., projects located in non-urban municipalities and counties); $13,662,200 is allocated for local park development projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; and $1,350,000 is allocated for local park development projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties.
The projects listed have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT).
The bill defines a "densely or highly populated municipality" as a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile or a population of at least 35,000 persons; a "densely populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile; and a "highly populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile.
To the extent that there are funds remaining after those local government unit projects listed in this bill are offered funding, the bill also authorizes the DEP, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC), to use those funds to provide additional funding for local government unit projects listed in this bill as well as for local government unit projects previously approved for funding pursuant to various other laws.
The bill also allows the DEP, subject to the approval of the JBOC, to re-distribute moneys, which have been returned to the department due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, or which have or will become available on or before June 30, 2013 due to interest earnings and loan repayments from various Green Acres bond act funds, for the purpose of providing additional funding, for recreation and conservation purposes, to previously approved and funded projects of local government units, or to local government unit projects listed in this bill. This additional funding, if provided from a Green Acres bond act, may include administrative costs.
Lastly, this bill approves funding for three "coastal blue acres projects." This funding is from the "1995 New Jersey Coastal Blue Acres Trust Fund" established pursuant to section 27 of the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995." This 1995 bond act provided to the DEP $9 million for projects by local government units to acquire, for recreation and conservation purposes, lands in the coastal area that have been damaged by storms or storm-related flooding. P.L.1997, c.283 appropriated these funds to the DEP with the requirement that specific projects be approved by the JBOC. This bill approves three specific projects in the amount of $2,400,800, instead of using the JBOC approval process for that purpose. It also amends the 1995 bond act to provide that specific projects proposed for coastal blue acres funding must be approved either by JBOC or by law.
