Environment in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3030: Creates "Pollinator Pathway" designation for municipalities.

This bill creates a voluntary "Pollinator Pathway" designation for New Jersey municipalities that meet specific habitat standards. To qualify, municipalities must establish pollinator habitats with native plants (including at least one milkweed species to support butterflies), provide seasonal nectar sources, water/shelter, and implement five conservation practices like removing invasive plants, avoiding pesticides, and using native species. The Department of Environmental Protection will develop a logo contest every decade for signage to identify designated pathways. The program aims to support declining pollinators (bees, butterflies, birds) while reducing municipal maintenance costs through eco-friendly land management.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Conservation Public Lands

signed · New Jersey · Senate Aug 27, 2026

S 3379: Requires data center owners and operators to submit semi-annual water and energy usage reports to BPU.

This New Jersey bill (S 3379) requires data center owners and operators to submit semi-annual reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) detailing water and energy usage. Existing data centers must begin reporting within three months of the law's enactment, while newer centers have six months. Reports must include basic facility information, usage data, and for centers receiving state funding, specific efficiency metrics like power usage effectiveness. The BPU will publish anonymized, aggregated data online but keep individual reports confidential.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3892: Excludes permit applications for construction of certain pipelines and related infrastructure from eligibility for automatic approval if DEP fails to take action on application within 90 days.

This bill amends New Jersey's "90-Day Law" to exclude pipeline construction permits for natural gas and petroleum products, along with related infrastructure like compressor stations, from automatic approval if the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) doesn't act within 90 days. Currently, most construction permits (e.g., for waterfront development or coastal wetlands) automatically become approved after 90 days without a DEP decision, but this bill removes pipeline projects from that rule. Pipeline developers must now wait for an explicit DEP decision within the 90-day window instead of relying on automatic approval. The change applies only to pipeline permits and does not affect other types of permits covered by the 90-Day Law.

Topics ✗ Energy ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Oil & Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Coastal & Flood Protection

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1876: Revises provisions of "Dry Cell Battery Management Act."

This bill updates New Jersey's rules for disposing of certain batteries by clarifying which types require special handling. It affects retailers selling batteries, distributors, large facilities (like hospitals or labs) that use many batteries, and consumers. The key change defines "covered batteries" to include most portable and medium-sized rechargeable batteries while excluding vehicle batteries, medical devices, and recalled batteries. These updated definitions will determine who must follow proper disposal and recycling requirements under the law.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Recycling

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1548: Establishes Bridge Transportation Asset Management Plan Pilot Program; appropriates $9.5 million.

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program for New Jersey's Department of Transportation to inventory, assess, and monitor all state, county, and municipal bridges. It requires creating a digital bridge inventory, a risk scoring model for bridge safety, climate vulnerability assessments, and a public dashboard showing bridge conditions. The $9.5 million appropriation funds the program ($4.5M) and a separate AI-driven "Bridge Infrastructure Innovation Module" ($5M) to test sensor-based monitoring on high-risk bridges. The program mandates annual progress reports and a final evaluation after five years to determine if the approach should be expanded statewide to other infrastructure like roads and tunnels.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Appropriations Bridges

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 1, 2026

A 3078: Requires DEP to establish online flood, rainfall, river level, and sewer capacity dashboard.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a publicly accessible online dashboard tracking real-time flood risks across the state. The dashboard must display rainfall, river levels, sewer capacity, flood damage reports, drainage complaints, and historical flood data from municipalities. Municipalities and counties must report this data to the DEP, with the dashboard updated weekly during active storm warnings. The DEP must annually review the system to standardize reporting, reduce administrative burdens on local governments, and improve data sharing capabilities.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Water Quality

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3552: Prohibits sale, distribution, and import of certain products marketed as recyclable, unless DEP determines that products are widely recycled.

New Jersey bill A3552 prohibits selling, distributing, or importing products with deceptive "recyclable" claims (like the chasing arrows symbol) unless the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) confirms they are actually recyclable in the state. It requires the DEP to conduct a material characterization study by 2024 to define which products/packaging are recyclable based on two criteria: 60% of NJ households collect them curbside, and 60% of recycling facilities process them into new materials. The law directly affects manufacturers and retailers selling products with recycling claims in New Jersey. It is pending before the Assembly Environment Committee and not yet law.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Recycling

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 8, 2026

A 2406: Requires DEP to regulate scrap metal facilities as recycling facilities.

This bill would require New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to regulate scrap metal processing facilities under the same rules that apply to recycling centers. It defines "scrap processing facility" as a commercial operation handling metal for resale and mandates that the DEP oversee these facilities as if they were recycling centers, despite the current definition excluding them from that category. This change would directly affect scrap metal businesses by subjecting them to identical environmental and operational standards as recycling centers. The bill amends existing law to extend the DEP's regulatory framework for recycling centers to cover scrap metal processing activities.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Recycling

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3901: Establishes ranking criteria for certain nonpoint source pollution control grants issued by DEP.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a ranking system for nonpoint source pollution control grants under the Water Pollution Control Act. The system must prioritize projects in specific areas: those served by stormwater utilities, municipalities banning lawn fertilizers, regions suffering economic harm from polluted waterbodies, or municipalities with strict septic system maintenance rules. Grants funded by state Corporation Business Tax revenues or federal Clean Water Act funds will be allocated based on these criteria. The law directly affects municipalities and project applicants seeking DEP pollution control grants. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 12, 2026

A 4028: Authorizes EDA to provide grants from "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to finance replacement of certain agricultural equipment.

This bill authorizes the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide grants from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to help farmers replace inefficient or polluting agricultural equipment with more efficient, less polluting alternatives. It directly affects farmers who operate equipment meeting the specified criteria for replacement. The key mechanism requires applicants to prove the old equipment has been permanently decommissioned, and grants must support projects demonstrably reducing greenhouse gas emissions or energy demand. The fund allocation for this purpose is part of a larger 60% EDA distribution for energy efficiency and emissions reduction projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Climate Change Tags Agriculture

All environment bills