Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH PENNACCHIO
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DEP to provide public access for boats to certain State-owned lakes; appropriates $1 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public boating access to certain State-owned lakes, supplementing P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-1 et seq.), and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Within two years after the date of enactment of this act, the Department of Environmental Protection shall construct, cause to be constructed, or enter into long-term contracts pursuant to a public bidding process with the owners of private marinas to provide for, public boat access to any State-owned lake at which boats with or without onboard motors are allowed.
b. If the department is unable to construct, or cause to be constructed, public boat access to any State-owned lake at which boats with or without onboard motors are allowed, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature identifying the lakes at which public boat access is unable to be provided and the reasons therefor. If the reason is due to a lack of sufficient funds for the purpose, the report shall detail the necessary funding required.
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $1 million for the purposes of subsection a. of section 1 of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to construct, cause to be constructed, or enter into long-term contracts with the owners of private marinas to provide for, public boat access to any State-owned lake at which boats with or without onboard motors are allowed. Any contract entered into with an owner of a private marina would be subject to a public bidding process.
The bill would appropriate $1 million from the General Fund to the DEP in order to provide for the public boat access required by the bill.
The bill is intended to ensure the public has boat access to any State-owned lake on which boats are allowed. Greenwood Lake is one example where a public boat launch is needed in order to ensure that the public is able to enjoy the same access to the lake as private property owners adjacent to the lake and members of private marinas located on the lake. Currently, there is no public boat launch in either New Jersey or New York. Private marina owners have previously allowed day-use access to their privately-owned boat ramps for a fee. However, as marinas on the lake have surged in popularity and there has been an increase in demand for access, particularly seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, these private marinas are operating at capacity and have either limited or eliminated public day-use access. Thus, members of the public are denied boating access to the lake.