NJ A4463

Requires the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to complete an inventory of all lead-covered cables in New Jersey within one year of enactment, including both active and abandoned cables, whether aerial, buried, or underwater.

The inventory must document cable type (copper or fiber), location details (municipality, street name, landmarks), length, and whether it is aerial or buried/underwater.

BPU must develop a removal plan prioritizing cables near schools, playgrounds, hospitals, areas with vulnerable populations, and cables located under or adjacent to water.

The removal plan must consider worker safety, environmental impacts of removal versus leaving cables in place, cable age and composition, geographic location, and customer service needs.

BPU must report to the Governor and Legislature on removal progress, costs, and challenges, and include funding requests in its annual budget to implement the program.