SENATE, No. 682

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires DEP to adopt Statewide plan to reduce lead exposure from contaminated soils and drinking water.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  


An Act requiring the development of a Statewide plan to reduce lead exposure, and supplementing Title 58 of the Revised Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    a.  The Department of Environmental Protection shall develop and adopt, within one year after the effective date of this act, a Statewide plan to reduce public exposure to lead in the environment.  The department shall use existing soil testing results from site remediations that have been submitted to the department, as well as public water supply and private well testing results and any other relevant information it may have, in preparing the plan and any updates thereto.  The department shall designate those geographic areas where lead in soils or drinking water poses the greatest danger of exposure to the public.  The department shall identify public moneys that may be used to address the risks of exposure to lead and prioritize the expenditure of public moneys to remediate soils or drinking water supplies to minimize those risks.  The department shall also develop a public education program to ensure the widespread dissemination of information concerning the health risks posed by lead exposure and measures that may be taken to minimize the risks.

     b.    The Statewide plan shall be posted on the department's Internet website and submitted, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.  The department shall update the Statewide plan as appropriate, but no less frequently than once every five years.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection to develop and adopt, within one year after the effective date of the bill, a Statewide plan to reduce public exposure to lead in the environment.  The department would be required to use existing soil testing results from site remediations that have been submitted to the department, as well as public water supply and private well testing results and any other relevant information it may have, in preparing the plan and any updates thereto.  The department would be required to designate those geographic areas where lead in soils or drinking water poses the greatest danger of exposure to the public.  The bill would require the department to identify public moneys that may be used to address the risks of exposure to lead and prioritize the expenditure of public moneys to remediate soils or drinking water supplies to minimize those risks.  The bill would also require the department to develop a public education program to ensure the widespread dissemination of information concerning the health risks posed by lead exposure and measures that may be taken to minimize the risks.