Bill Text: NJ S710 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Supplemental appropriation of $2.5 million to dredge Greenwood Lake in Passaic county.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S710 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S710-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH PENNACCHIO
District 26 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Supplemental appropriation of $2.5 million to dredge Greenwood Lake in Passaic county.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 28, 2007 (P.L.2007, c.111).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2007, c.111, there is appropriated out of the General Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:
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42 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 40 Community Development and Environmental Management 42 Natural Resource Management DIRECT STATE SERVICES |
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21-4895 Natural Resources Engineering .......................................... |
$2,500,000 |
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Total Direct State Services Appropriation, Natural Resource Management......................................... |
$2,500,000 |
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Special Purpose: |
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21 Greenwood Lake Dredging ........................... |
($2,500,000) |
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Of the amount hereinabove for the Greenwood Lake Dredging account, not more than $250,000 shall be expended for:
a. Preparation of an updated analysis of pollutant loadings to Greenwood Lake from the New Jersey portion of the watershed, to be called the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan," which shall include (1) a discussion of current land use patterns within the New Jersey portion of the watershed and an evaluation of sediment and nutrient loadings from these land use areas, and (2) a delineation of the areas of Greenwood Lake in need of dredging, the recommended volume of materials to be dredged, an estimate of costs associated with dredging each area, including sediment disposal, and prioritization of these areas for dredging; and
b. Completion of any activities necessary to prepare to dredge those parts of Greenwood Lake which lie within New Jersey, and as prioritized in the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan," which shall include any necessary activities to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) to accomplish this dredging, such as environmental monitoring, activities required for obtaining required permits, and any professional services required to develop this RFP.
Upon completion of the analysis and the activities described hereinabove, the balance of the funds remaining shall be expended to implement any recommended dredging activities as prioritized in the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan."
The Department of Environmental Protection shall consult and cooperate with the Greenwood Lake Watershed Management District, the Township of West Milford, and Passaic county in connection with the expenditure of the amount hereinabove appropriated. If deemed useful or expedient, the department may transfer all or a portion of the monies hereinabove appropriated to the Greenwood Lake Watershed Management District, the Township of West Milford, or Passaic county in the form of a grant to be expended in accordance with the language set forth hereinabove.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would appropriate $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection to pay for the dredging of Greenwood Lake in Passaic county and for related activities, as well as for preparation of an analysis to be done in connection therewith.
In 1983, a Phase I Diagnostic Feasibility Report was completed for Greenwood Lake. The report described the current limnological condition of the lake, made a determination of the main sources of pollutant loadings to the lake, and developed a Lake Restoration and Management Plan. This plan, among other recommendations, proposed that removal of sediments was necessary for the New Jersey portion of the lake and estimated that the total cost of dredging would be $10 million. The plan also recommended a number of other measures to address the loadings to the lake, including reduction of sediment loadings from the Belcher's Creek corridor on the New Jersey side. A portion of these measures has been accomplished. At this time, additional funding in the amount of $2.5 million is needed for continued efforts in the New Jersey portion of the lake. Of that amount, up to $250,000 would be used to pay the cost of:
(1) Preparation of an updated analysis of pollutant loadings to Greenwood Lake from the New Jersey portion of the watershed, to be called the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan," which shall include (a) a discussion of current land use patterns within the New Jersey portion of the watershed and an evaluation of sediment and nutrient loadings from these land use areas, and (b) a delineation of the areas of Greenwood Lake in need of dredging, the recommended volume of materials to be dredged, an estimate of costs associated with dredging each area, including sediment disposal, and prioritization of these areas for dredging; and
(2) Completion of any activities necessary to prepare to dredge those parts of Greenwood Lake which lie within New Jersey, and as prioritized in the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan," which shall include any necessary activities to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) to accomplish this dredging, such as environmental monitoring, activities required for obtaining required permits, and any professional services required to develop this RFP.
Upon completion of the analysis and the activities described above, the bill provides that the balance of the funds remaining shall be expended to implement any recommended dredging activities as prioritized in the "Updated Greenwood Lake Restoration and Management Plan."
The need for dredging is more significant for the New Jersey portion of Greenwood Lake. The 1983 Phase I Report found that the maximum depth of the New Jersey portion of the lake was three meters, while the maximum depth for the New York portion was 18 meters. This shallower depth presents greater navigational and recreational impediments in the New Jersey portion of Greenwood Lake. The State of New York has continued efforts to address problems in the New York portion of the basin, including purchase and operation of weed harvesting equipment and improvements to stormwater conveyance systems to reduce pollutant loadings to the lake.
Under the bill, the Department of Environmental Protection would be required to consult and cooperate with the Greenwood Lake Watershed Management District, the Township of West Milford, and Passaic county in connection with the work funded by this bill. If deemed useful or expedient, the bill would authorize the department to transfer all or a portion of the monies appropriated in the bill to the Greenwood Lake Watershed Management District, the Township of West Milford, or Passaic county in the form of a grant to be expended for the same purposes as set forth in the bill.
Greenwood Lake is a vital Highlands
area water and recreational resource located in New Jersey and New York. Parts
of the lake are in the middle stages of eutrophication and silting due to
nonpoint source pollution. These impacts have increased due to the conversion
of many seasonal houses in the area to year-round residences. The southern end
of the lake in New Jersey is particularly laden with accumulated sediment,
which severely reduces the lake's total water holding capacity and interferes
with recreational use by encouraging weed proliferation. Dredging would be an
environmentally sound and effective solution that could increase the volume of
stored water available for downstream
reservoirs as well as address many other problems faced by the lake.
