ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 645

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: APRIL 22, 1996

      The Agriculture and Waste Management Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 645, with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill would create the Innovative Technologies Advisory Board. The board would be allocated within the Department of Environmental Protection but would be independent of any control by the department. The board is charged with advising the department on matters concerning the use of innovative techniques and procedures in the remediation of hazardous discharge sites.

      The board would consist of nine members, to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members would include a representative from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology; a representative from the Biotechnology Council of New Jersey; a professor at Cook College of Rutgers, the State University, with scientific knowledge of remediation processes; three members of the public, each of whom shall have an advanced engineering or scientific degree and experience in remediation technologies; and three members of the public, each of whom shall have experience in the use of innovative technologies in the remediation of hazardous discharge sites.

      The committee amended the bill to rename the board the Innovative Technologies Advisory Board, and the committee revised the membership and the duties of the board to address innovative technologies.

      As reported by the committee, this bill is substantively identical to Senate Bill No. 460 of 1996.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 1996-1997 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.