SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 71

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 5, 2018

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 71 with committee amendments.

      This bill would prohibit the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from approving any dumping of dredge spoils on any portion of a Delaware River island owned or controlled by the State or a political subdivision of the State, including riparian land, located on a Delaware River island controlled in whole or in part by a Board of Island Managers established by the Legislature.  This prohibition would not apply if:  (1) the DEP petitions each municipality owning land on that island to authorize the dumping of dredge spoils on or around the island; and (2) each municipality petitioned by the DEP adopts an ordinance authorizing the dumping of dredge spoils on or around the island.  The bill would be applicable to all dumping of dredge spoils, including any proposed dumping on an existing dredge spoil bank.

      The committee amendments would remove a finding in section 1 of the bill concerning the location and ownership of Burlington Island.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2018-2019 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.