Bill Text: NJ S2359 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates State Beach Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-11-29 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S2359 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2359-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Creates State Beach Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating the State Beach Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the "State Beach Task Force." The purpose of the task force shall be to investigate the current state of New Jersey's beaches. The task force shall study beach erosion and beach replenishment issues, and consider funding, available shore protection and preservation technologies, and the impact of the State's beaches on the State and local economy. The task force shall also investigate the steps other states and countries are taking to address beach erosion issues and evaluate other available policies and technologies for the protection and preservation of beaches.
b. The task force shall consist of 17 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee;
(2) the Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, or the director's designee;
(3) the director of The Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology, or the director's designee;
(4) two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall not be both of the same political party;
(5) two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall not be both of the same political party;
(6) one representative of the academic community with expertise, knowledge, or experience in coastal or ocean ecosystems and habitat;
(7) one representative of an environmental organization with expertise, knowledge, or experience in coastal or ocean ecosystems and habitat;
(8) two representatives of coastal municipalities;
(9) one representative of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey ;
(10) one representative of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce;
(11) one representative of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority;
(12) one representative of the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce;
(13) one representative of the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau; and
(14) one representative of the New Jersey Travel Industry Association.
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 beach replenishment projects in the State as well as information regarding actions taken by other states concerning shore protection.
d. The 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 Beach Task Force shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members, and shall select a chairperson from among its members and a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
b. The task force shall meet regularly as it may determine, and shall also meet at the call of the chairperson of the task force or a majority of the membership.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. If requested by the task force, the Department of Environmental Protection shall provide primary staff support to the task force.
3. The State Beach Task Force shall prepare and submit a final report, including its findings, conclusions, 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 its organization. Copies of the report shall also be provided to the public upon request and free of charge, and the report shall be posted on the Internet website of the Department of Environmental Protection.
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 17-member State Beach Task Force to investigate the current state of New Jersey's beaches. The task force would study beach erosion and beach replenishment issues, and consider funding, available shore protection and preservation technologies, and the impact of the State's beaches on the State and local economy. The task force would also investigate the steps other states and countries are taking to address beach erosion issues and evaluate other available policies and technologies for the protection and preservation of beaches.
The task force would consist of 17 members as follows: the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee; the Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, or the director's designee; the director of The Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology, or the director's designee; two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and 10 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; one representative of an environmental organization with expertise, knowledge, or experience in coastal or ocean ecosystems and habitat; two representatives of coastal municipalities; one representative of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey; one representative of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce; one representative of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority; one representative of the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce; one representative of the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau; and one representative of the New Jersey Travel Industry Association. 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 beach replenishment projects in the State as well as information regarding actions taken by other states concerning shore protection.
The bill requires the Governor to appoint the public members within 30 days after enactment and the task force to organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members. Upon request, primary staff support would be provided from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The task force would submit a final report, including its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, to the Governor and the Legislature within one year after its organization. Copies of the report would be free of charge and provided to the public upon request, and the report would be posted on the DEP's website.
