Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Directs DEP to study water absorbency of native plants.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning native plants and supplementing Title 13 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, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, shall conduct a study of native plants in the State to:
(1) assess the water absorption qualities of native plants in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State; and
(2) determine the species that are most water absorbent and advantageous for use in Blue Acres projects and green infrastructure projects.
b. No later than one year after the effective date of this act, the Department of Environmental Protection shall prepare a report of its findings. The report shall include recommendations on the use of water absorbent plants in Blue Acres projects and green infrastructure projects, and suggested rules and regulations necessary to implement the recommendations.
c. The Department of Environmental Protection may adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the recommendations made in the report prepared pursuant to this act.
d. As used in this section:
"Blue Acres project" means any project of the State, a local government unit, or qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization to acquire, for recreation and conservation purposes, lands that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage.
"Green infrastructure" means a stormwater management system that treats stormwater runoff through infiltration into subsoil, treats stormwater runoff through filtration by vegetation or soil, or stores stormwater runoff for reuse.
"Green infrastructure project" means a project incorporating green infrastructure.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to conduct a study of native plants in the State to assess the water absorption qualities of native plants in the northern, central, and southern parts of the State, and determine the species that are most water absorbent and advantageous for use in Blue Acres projects and green infrastructure projects. The bill also requires that:
1) the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) report its findings no later than one year after the effective date of the bill; and
2) the report include the DEP’s recommendations on the use of water absorbent plants in Blue Acres projects and green infrastructure projects, and suggested rules and regulations necessary to implement the recommendations.
The bill authorizes the DEP to adopt rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.