Bill Text: NJ S2380 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes NJ "Landowner of the Year" award program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-06-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S2380 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S2380-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes NJ "Landowner of the Year" award program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the New Jersey "Landowner of the Year" award program and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Agriculture, in coordination with any agricultural organization as determined appropriate by the department, shall establish and promote an award program to be known as the New Jersey "Landowner of the Year" award program.
The program shall annually recognize a landowner who has demonstrated an outstanding record of improving, enhancing, and preserving wildlife populations and habitat on the landowner's property.
b. The department shall establish an application procedure, criteria, and guidelines for the eligibility, nomination, and judging of applicants for the award. The criteria may include, but need not be limited to, outstanding practices in wildlife management, habitat improvement, and conservation techniques.
c. The department shall post the name of the recipient of the New Jersey "Landowner of the Year" award prominently on the department's website, and shall recognize the recipient with a certificate, a press announcement, or other form of recognition deemed appropriate by the department to highlight the achievement of the recipient.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with any agricultural organization as determined appropriate by the department, to establish and promote an award program to be known as the New Jersey "Landowner of the Year" award program. The program would annually recognize a landowner who has demonstrated an outstanding record of improving, enhancing, and preserving wildlife populations and habitat on the landowner's property.
Landowners who care for the environment in a responsible way protect and restore critical landscapes while furthering other environmental benefits such as cleaner water and air and healthier soil. Wildlife and habitat preservation practices can also help reverse the decline of endangered species and benefit other species with similar habitat needs. Therefore, it is important to recognize the efforts of landowners who protect wildlife and habitat and to promote these practices across New Jersey.
