This bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to Cranford Township for flood control projects. It directly affects residents and infrastructure in Cranford, Union County, by funding specific flood mitigation work. Key provisions include constructing a pumping station to divert stormwater into the Rahway River, upgrading storm sewers, developing wetland data, and elevating riverbank dikes. The funds are allocated under a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Environmental Protection for the Cranford Northeast Quadrant Flood Control Project. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.
This Senate Resolution urges New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to stop funding synthetic turf field projects and prioritize natural grass fields for recreational development under the Green Acres Program. It directs the DEP to redirect funds away from synthetic turf - after reports of $10 million invested in such projects in 2023 - toward safer, natural grass alternatives. The resolution cites environmental concerns about microplastics and health risks from extreme heat (up to 72°F hotter than grass) and chemicals associated with synthetic turf. It does not create new law but asks the DEP to adjust funding priorities for future Green Acres projects.
This bill directs New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a leasing program allowing qualified entities - such as nonprofits, local governments, or individuals - to lease state-owned land for developing pollinator habitats. It requires the DEP, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to establish rules for identifying suitable land and selecting applicants based on specific criteria. The program aims to create areas beneficial for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds through managed habitat development. The DEP must adopt these rules under state administrative procedures, and the bill takes immediate effect.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to take responsibility for dredging all waterways providing boat access to "lagoon communities" (coastal neighborhoods developed with lagoon-based boat access), including those not officially designated as navigational channels. It mandates the DEP to create a list of affected communities and a two-year dredging schedule within one year of the bill's effective date, followed by a maintenance schedule with annual cost estimates. The bill appropriates $6 million total ($5 million for initial dredging and $1 million for maintenance) to fund these efforts. It directly affects residents and properties in designated lagoon communities like Cedar Creek, Mystic Island Lagoons, and others, aiming to maintain economic and environmental health in coastal areas.
New Jersey's S 1644 establishes a loan program through the Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide low-interest loans to small businesses (under 50 employees) for climate resiliency projects. The program targets businesses implementing projects like flood protection, water system upgrades, broadband expansion, or climate adaptation measures to reduce damage from events like hurricanes or sea-level rise. Loans will be issued from a dedicated revolving fund, replenished by repayments, with priority given to projects benefiting communities with climate vulnerability plans. Businesses must submit applications proving eligibility and outlining how funds will be used, and must provide annual financial reports until loans are repaid.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a program for gas utilities to gradually increase renewable natural gas (RNG) in their supply, starting at 5% by 2024 and reaching 30% by 2050. Gas utilities can make qualifying investments in RNG infrastructure and purchase RNG from third parties to meet these targets, with costs recoverable through regulated customer rate increases. The bill establishes a rate recovery mechanism allowing utilities to pass on approved costs to customers, while capping annual incremental costs at 5% of the utility's total revenue to protect ratepayers. It directly affects gas utilities and their customers by structuring a transition toward lower-carbon energy use through a regulated cost-recovery system.
This bill authorizes New Jersey to exchange approximately 219 acres of State-owned land in Lacey and Stafford Townships (Ocean County) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for about 52 acres in Galloway Township (Atlantic County). The State-owned land being transferred will become part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, while the acquired land currently houses the Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Resources Administration offices (occupied since 1964). The exchange allows the State to use its funds to construct new offices on the federal land, replacing aging facilities. The bill specifies that minor adjustments may be made to equalize the land values and exempts the transfer from certain state land sale regulations.
This bill amends New Jersey law to clarify how municipalities calculate their affordable housing obligations under the Fair Housing Act. It specifies that certain land types - such as conservation areas, small private parcels, historic sites, agricultural lands with restrictions, recreation areas, and environmentally sensitive lands - cannot be counted as "vacant" for housing purposes. Municipalities using this adjusted calculation for their affordable housing obligation will rely on it for the full 10-year compliance period, without needing to recalculate if new land becomes available. This provides certainty for municipalities in planning housing development and meeting their obligations.
New Jersey's S 2266 bans the use of regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in menstrual products sold within the state. The bill defines menstrual products broadly to include tampons, pads, cups, and underwear (both disposable and reusable), and prohibits manufacturers from selling products containing intentionally added PFAS or PFAS above trace levels. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a testing system using approved labs, with results shared with the Department of Health, and violations would trigger penalties under the Consumer Fraud Act. This policy directly affects manufacturers distributing menstrual products in New Jersey, aiming to eliminate specific chemicals from these products.
SCR 45 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging Congress to pass the federal "Fix Our Forests Act." It does not create new laws but formally requests congressional action on this pending bill. The resolution highlights New Jersey's wildfire risks (1,500 annual fires damaging 7,000 acres) and notes the federal bill would establish a data-driven Fireshed Center to assess wildfire risks and support forest management practices like prescribed burns and tree thinning. This procedural resolution directly targets Congress, not New Jersey residents or state agencies.
