S2640

SENATE, No. 2640

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

211th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JUNE 9, 2005

Sponsored by:

Senator PAUL SARLO

District 36 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)

Senator WAYNE R. BRYANT

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblywoman JOAN M. QUIGLEY

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Assemblywoman NELLIE POU

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Cardinale, Coniglio, Girgenti, Sacco, Assemblymen Malone, Biondi, Bodine, Gregg, Blee, Bateman, Conover, O'Toole, Corodemus, DiGaetano, Azzolina, Holzapfel, Wolfe, Pennacchio, Connors, Rumpf, Chatzidakis, Carroll, Thompson, Merkt, Bramnick, Rooney, Assemblywoman Vandervalk, Assemblymen Munoz, DeCroce, S.Kean, Dancer, Russo, Stack and Manzo

SYNOPSIS

Appropriates $65,822,075 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds, and appropriates or reappropriates certain other moneys, for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in "urban aid," densely or highly populated, and other municipalities and counties.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 7/1/2005)

An Act appropriating moneys from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds, and appropriating and reappropriating certain other moneys, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.

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

1. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19), and from the Green Trust funds established pursuant to the Green Acres bond acts, the sum of $25,638,975 to provide grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.) either as of June 30, 2004 or the effective date of this act, or sponsored by densely populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to this subsection:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Garfield City Bergen Historic Dundee $800,000

Dam Pedestrian Way

and Preserve

Garfield City Bergen Garfield City 800,000

Multiparks

Hackensack City Bergen Hackensack High 800,000

School Athletic

Field

Lodi Boro Bergen Memorial Park 488,250

Improvements

Lodi Boro Bergen Kennedy Park 800,000

Improvements

Camden County Camden Johnson Park 500,000

Rehabilitation

(Camden City)

Camden City Camden Yorkship Square 500,000

Park

Gloucester Twp Camden Hickstown Road 800,000

Dev

Winslow Twp Camden Peter Volpa 250,000

Memorial Park II

Essex County Essex Multi-Parks 1,200,000

Improvements

(Bloomfield Twp

East Orange City

Irvington Twp

Newark City

Orange City Twp

Verona Twp

West Orange Twp)

Bloomfield Twp Essex Restoration of 436,920

Upper Memorial Park

Irvington Twp Essex Playground 500,000

Improvements

Glassboro Boro Gloucester Glassboro Public 180,000

Schools Playground

Woodbury City Gloucester Woodbury High 800,000

School Stadium

Complex

Woodbury City Gloucester Stewart Lake 350,000

Park Dev

Hudson County Hudson Multi Parks 800,000

Playgrounds Dev

(Bayonne City

Harrison Town

Jersey City

Kearny Town

Union City)

Hoboken City Hudson Multi Parks Dev 800,000

Jersey City Hudson Owen Grundy Pier 800,000

and York St. Park

Kearny Town Hudson Riverbank 277,380

Skateboard Park

Kearny Town Hudson Reconstruction 781,700

of Bell Playground

Union City Hudson 47th Street Pool 800,000

Improvements

Weehawken Twp Hudson Pier B Restoration 800,000

Weehawken Twp Hudson Pershing Road 250,000

Nature Trail

Trenton City Mercer George Page Park 800,000

Dev

Trenton City Mercer Hetzel Field Park 800,000

Dev

Middlesex County Middlesex New Brunswick 1,000,000

Landing

(New Brunswick City)

Carteret Boro Middlesex Arthur Kill 800,000

Waterfront Recreation

Facility Ph II

Carteret Boro Middlesex Carteret Multipark 800,000

Improvements

New Brunswick City Middlesex New Brunswick 800,000

Landing

Perth Amboy City Middlesex Perth Amboy 500,000

Bayview Park

Perth Amboy City Middlesex Patten Center Park 800,000

Rehabilitation

Woodbridge Twp Middlesex Ferry Street and 800,000

Riverwalk Park

Improvements

Neptune Twp Monmouth Multi-Parks Dev 500,000

Passaic County Passaic Lambert Castle 250,000

Observatory Tower

Rehab

(Paterson City

West Paterson Boro)

Clifton City Passaic Athenia Steel 800,000

Recreational

Complex

Paterson City Passaic Paterson Great 674,725

Falls and Pocket

Parks - Phase 1

Paterson City Passaic Restoration and 800,000

Revitalization of

Pennington Park

Union County Union Esposito Park 1,000,000

(Clark Twp)

TOTAL $25,638,975

b. Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in subsection a. of this section shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

c. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection a. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 2, 3, or 4 of this act, shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

d. For the purposes of this section:

"Densely populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census; and

"Green Acres bond act" means P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.

2. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19), and from the Green Trust funds established pursuant to the Green Acres bond acts, the sum of $8,250,100 to provide grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to this subsection:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Margate City Atlantic Upgrades to $600,000

Jerome Ave

Rec Facility

Ventnor City Atlantic Rehabilitation 565,000

of Ventnor

Fishing Pier

Edgewater Boro Bergen Veteran's Field 600,000

Improvements

Edgewater Boro Bergen Grand Cove 600,000

Marina Dredging

Maywood Boro Bergen Thoma Avenue 250,000

Little League Field

Mount Laurel Twp Burlington Comprehensive 600,000

Recreation Trail

Mercer County Mercer Baldpate Mountain 1,000,000

Dev

(Hopewell Twp)

Highland Park Boro Middlesex Centennial Park 120,000

Jamesburg Boro Middlesex Jamesburg Multipark 75,000

Improvements

Keyport Boro Monmouth Keyport Waterfront 600,000

Park Improvements

Marlboro Twp Monmouth Marlboro Twp Park 600,000

Phase II

Middletown Twp Monmouth Banfield Park Dev 35,000

Berkeley Twp Ocean Bayview Park 346,500

Dover Twp Ocean Castle Park 220,000

Playground

Renovation

Point Pleasant Boro Ocean Riverfront Park 600,000

Dev

Haledon Boro Passaic Roe Athletic Field 600,000

Renovation Project

Wayne Twp Passaic Barbour Pond Park 600,000

Athletic Field

Linden City Union Multi Park 238,600

Playground

Replacement/Upgrade

TOTAL $8,250,100

b. Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in subsection a. of this section shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

c. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection a. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 1, 3, or 4 of this act, shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

d. For the purposes of this section:

"Densely or highly populated municipality" means a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile, or a population of at least 35,000 persons, according to the latest federal decennial census;

"Green Acres bond act" means P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354; and

"Highly populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.

3. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19), and from the Green Trust funds established pursuant to the Green Acres bond acts, the sum of $9,293,500 to provide grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.), either as of June 30, 2004 or the effective date of this act, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to this subsection:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Camden City Camden New Roosevelt $800,000

Park Acq

Bloomfield Twp Essex Bloomfield 800,000

Township Acq

Orange City Essex Alden and 800,000

Colgate Land Acq

Orange City Essex Military Park 800,000

Expansion

Bayonne City Hudson North Street 380,000

Community Park

Acq

Hoboken City Hudson 1600 Park Avenue 800,000

Acq

Jersey City Hudson Harsimus Stem 800,000

Embankment Acq

Union City Hudson 44th Street Acq 800,000

Old Bridge Twp Middlesex Cedar Ridge II Acq 800,000

Long Branch City Monmouth Manahasett Creek 800,000

Acq

Neptune Twp Monmouth South Riverside 800,000

Drive Waterfront

Clifton City Passaic Dundee Island 800,000

Acq

Rahway City Union Rahway River 113,500

Greenway Acq

TOTAL $9,293,500

b. Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in subsection a. of this section shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

c. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection a. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 1, 2, or 4 of this act, shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

d. For the purposes of this section, "Green Acres bond act" means P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.

4. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19), and from the Green Trust funds established pursuant to the Green Acres bond acts, the sum of $22,639,500 to provide grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties or highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to this subsection:

(1) Planning Incentive Acquisition Projects

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Bergen County Bergen Open Space Plan $1,250,000

Acq

Evesham Twp Burlington Planning 600,000

Incentive

Mount Laurel Twp Burlington Mt. Laurel 600,000

Acq Plan

Camden County Camden Open Space Plan 1,000,000

Cherry Hill Twp Camden Planning Incentive 600,000

Grant

West Orange Twp Essex West Orange Twp 600,000

Open Space Acq

Hudson County Hudson Open Space Acq 1,200,000

Mercer County Mercer Mercer County 1,000,000

Planning Incentive

Hamilton Twp Mercer Hamilton Twp Open 600,000

Space Acq

Middlesex County Middlesex Middlesex County 1,000,000

Open Space Acq

East Brunswick Twp Middlesex Open Space Plan 600,000

Edison Twp Middlesex Edison Acq Plan 600,000

Monroe Twp Middlesex Thompson Park III 200,000

North Brunswick Twp Middlesex North Brunswick 600,000

Plan

South Brunswick Twp Middlesex Open Space Acq 600,000

Monmouth County Monmouth Planning Incentive 1,000,000

Acq

Howell Twp Monmouth Howell Twp 600,000

Planning Incentive

Middletown Twp Monmouth Middletown Twp 600,000

Planning Incentive

Morris County Morris Morris County 1,250,000

Planning Incentive

Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp Morris Parsippany-Troy 775,000

Hills Open Space

Acq

Berkeley Twp Ocean Planning Incentive 600,000

Dover Twp Ocean Open Space and 600,000

Recreation Plan

Manchester Twp Ocean Planning Incentive 600,000

Passaic County Passaic Open Space Plan 1,250,000

Acq

Bridgewater Twp Somerset Bridgewater Open 600,000

Space Plan

Franklin Twp Somerset Open Space Plan 600,000

Acq

Union County Union Union County 1,200,000

Open Space and

Recreation Plan

SUBTOTAL $20,725,000

(2) Site Specific Incentive Acquisition Projects

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Wayne Twp Passaic St. Joseph's $600,000

Hospital at

Wayne Acq

SUBTOTAL $600,000

(3) Standard Acquisition Projects

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED

UNIT AMOUNT

Wallington Boro Bergen Open Space $114,500

Corridor Acq

Piscataway Twp Middlesex Open Space Acq 600,000

South Amboy City Middlesex Open Space Acq 600,000

SUBTOTAL $1,314,500

TOTAL $22,639,500

b. Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in subsection a. of this section shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

c. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection a. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 1, 2, or 3 of this act, shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

d. For the purposes of this section:

"Densely populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census;

"Green Acres bond act" means P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354; and

"Highly populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.

5. a. There is reappropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the unexpended balances, due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, of the amounts appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the purposes of providing:

(1) grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for projects approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 1 through 4 of this act; and

(2) additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2641 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2642 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), P.L. , c. (now before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 2643 of 2005 or Assembly Bill No. of 2005), or sections 1 through 4 of this act, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor. Any such additional funding provided from a Green Acres bond act may include administrative costs.

b. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection such sums as may be, or may become, available on or before June 30, 2006, due to interest earnings or loan repayments in any "Green Trust Fund" established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act or in the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," for the purpose of providing:

c. For the purposes of this section:

"Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" means the fund established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19); and

"Green Acres bond act" means P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.

6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005 or on the date of enactment, whichever is later.

STATEMENT

This bill would appropriate or reappropriate moneys from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," various Green Acres bond funds, and other sources to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide grants or low-interest loans, or both, to assist local government units in the State to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.

The total amount of funding allocated for the local government projects that are listed in this bill is $65,822,075. Of that sum: $25,638,975 would be allocated for local park development projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; $8,250,100 for local park development projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties; $9,293,500 for local open space acquisition projects in urban aid municipalities; and $22,639,500 for local open space acquisition projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties or highly populated counties. The bill defines a "densely or highly populated municipality" as a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile or a population of at least 35,000 persons; a "densely populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile; and a "highly populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile.

The bill also would allow the DEP, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, to re-distribute moneys, which have been returned to the department due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, or which have or will become available on or before June 30, 2006 due to interest earnings and loan repayments from various Green Acres bond act funds, for the purpose of providing additional funding, for recreation and conservation purposes, to previously approved and funded projects of local government units, or to local government unit projects listed in this bill or the three other "local government" bills of this legislative package. This additional funding, if provided from a Green Acres bond act, may include administrative costs.

The projects listed in this bill have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust. To the extent that there are funds remaining after those local government unit projects listed in this bill are offered funding, the bill also authorizes the DEP, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, to use those funds to provide additional funding for local government unit projects listed in this bill and the three other "local government" bills of this legislative package as well as for local government unit projects previously approved for funding pursuant to various other laws.