NJ A1873

DEP must give priority funding to Blue Acres land acquisition projects that include or allow for flood mitigation projects onsite when distributing constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax (CBT) moneys for recreation and conservation purposes.

Clean water infrastructure projects (wastewater treatment systems) that include or allow for flood mitigation onsite will receive additional priority points in the annual project ranking for New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program funding.

Drinking water supply projects that include or allow for flood mitigation onsite will similarly receive additional priority points when DEP establishes the drinking water project priority list for state financing.

Blue Acres projects are defined as state or nonprofit acquisitions of lands damaged by storms or flooding, prone to such damage, or that buffer other lands from storm-related damage.

The bill amends three existing laws: the Green Acres program (P.L.1999, c.152), the Environmental Infrastructure Trust Act (P.L.1985, c.334), and the drinking water financing provisions (P.L.1997, c.224).