FISCAL NOTE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 100

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: June 5, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 100 of 1996 directs the State Soil Conservation Committee to draft a model steep slope development regulation for the purpose of controlling surface water runoff, soil erosion, siltation and other conditions that may result in increased pollution of local water supplies. The bill includes specific guidelines and criteria to be incorporated into the model regulation. Within one year of the model regulation's completion, the bill requires all municipalities located around watershed areas to submit to the State Soil Conservation Committee proposed amendments to local regulations that would encompass the model regulation's guidelines. The committee would be responsible for reviewing and approval these proposals.

      The State Soil Conservation Committee, which is staffed and funded by the Department of Agriculture through its annual State Budget, estimates the following costs to implement the bill:

Cost                                        1st year           2nd year          3rd year

Salary (2 positions)                $ 65,000          $ 65,000          $ 50,000

Non-salary                              20,000           0            0

Technical assistance                160,000           120,000           100,000

            Total                           $245,000         $185,000         $150,000

      The technical assistance costs refer to payments for services rendered to the committee by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, local soil conservation districts, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs with these estimates and notes that the generation of additional property tax revenues may be adversely affected in municipalities where new development or construction is limited by the proposed regulation.

This fiscal note has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.