Approp.

 

P.L. 2021, CHAPTER 225, approved September 24, 2021

Senate, No. 3618 (First Reprint)

 

 

A Supplement to the Fiscal Year ¹[2021] 2022¹ appropriations act, P.L. ¹[2020]¹ , c. ¹[97] (pending before the Legislature as Senate Bill No.     or Assembly Bill No.    )¹ .

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L. ¹[2020]¹ , c. ¹[97] (pending before the Legislature as Senate Bill No.     or Assembly Bill No.    )¹ , the annual appropriations act for Fiscal Year ¹[2020-2021] 2022¹ , there is appropriated the following sum for the purposes specified:

 

42 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 40 Community Development and Environmental Management 43 Science and Technical Programs   GRANTS-IN-AID
06-4850	Water Monitoring........................................................			$10,000,000
	Total Grants-In-Aid Appropriation,                                      Stormwater Management Grants			$10,000,000
Grants-In-Aid:
06		Stormwater Management Grants ..........................................	($10,000,000)

The amounts hereinabove appropriated shall be used for providing grants to assist qualified entities to pay ¹[the cost of development of lands]¹ for the management and maintenance of lakes for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 2 of this act.

 

     2.    a.  The amounts appropriated in section 1 of this act shall be used for providing grants to assist qualified entities to pay ¹[the cost of development of lands]¹ for the management and maintenance of lakes for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to the provisions of this section.

     b.    The department shall establish a program for the purpose of providing grants with the moneys allocated pursuant to section 1 of this act to assist qualified entities to pay certain costs associated with the management and maintenance of lakes for recreation and conservation purposes. 

     c.     (1)     In establishing the program required pursuant to this section, the department shall develop criteria for the evaluation and ranking of applications to provide priority to projects:

     (a)   submitted by qualified entities ¹[located in the Highlands Region and pinelands area] responsible for a lake with public access¹ ; and

     (b)   to improve water quality and increase recreational access and use of lakes, including projects to control nutrient levels in lakes in order to prevent future harmful algal blooms.

     (2)   A grant issued pursuant to this section may be used for stormwater and nonpoint source pollution management activities that would, as determined by the department, directly enhance, improve, or protect the use of a lake for recreation and conservation purposes. 

     (3)   ¹[(a) An application received by the department from the Greenwood Lake Commission for funding pursuant to this section shall be approved by the department and shall receive a minimum grant award of $750,000.  A grant awarded to the Greenwood Lake Commission pursuant to this section shall be used solely for that part of Greenwood Lake which lies within the State, and may be utilized without matching funds from substantially similar legislation by the State of New York.

     (b)   An application received by the department from the Lake Hopatcong Commission for funding pursuant to this section shall be approved by the department and shall receive a minimum grant award of $750,000. 

     (4)]¹ The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall develop an application by which a qualified entity may apply for a grant pursuant to this section, and criteria by which to rank the applications received by the department.  The commissioner shall provide notice of the availability of funding for this program and make the application available on the department's Internet website.

     d.    As used in this section:

     "Greenwood Lake Commission" means the commission created pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1999, c.402 (C.32:20A-3).  ¹["Highlands Region" means the region as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2004, c.120 (C.13:20-3).]¹

     "Lake Hopatcong Commission" means the commission created pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2000, c.175 (C.54:4B-3).

     "Qualified entity" means ¹:¹  the Greenwood Lake Commission ¹[,] ;¹ the Lake Hopatcong Commission ¹[,] ;¹ a local government unit ¹; an entity established as a joint meeting pursuant to law or an entity established pursuant to ordinance by the municipalities surrounding a publicly-accessible lake for the management of the lake, including, but not limited to, the Deal Lake Commission or the Lake Topanemus Park Commission; or a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. s.501 (c)(3) and whose mission is the management of a publicly-accessible lake¹ .

      ¹["Pinelands area" means the pinelands area as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-3).]

      "Recreation and conservation purposes" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-3).¹

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

                                

 

     Makes supplemental appropriation of $10 million for grants for certain lake management activities for recreation and conservation purposes.