SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 1774

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 13, 1996

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1774 (1R).

      Assembly Bill No. 1774 (1R) appropriates to the State Agriculture Committee $15,200,000 from the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," P.L.1992, c.88, and reappropriates $3,800,000 (in unexpended balances from previous appropriations) from the "Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989," P.L.1989, c.183, for farmland preservation projects located in southern New Jersey and northern New Jersey. The projects are listed in this bill and in a companion bill. Specifically, the sums appropriated or reappropriated would be utilized to: (1) provide grants to counties and municipalities for up to 80% of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland; and (2) provide for up to 100% of the cost of acquisition of development easements under such emergency conditions as the State Agriculture Development Committee determines.

      As reported, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 1022 of 1996 (Haines).

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill appropriates and reappropriates $19 million in bond funds for eligible projects for farmland preservation in the southern counties (Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem) and northern counties (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren) of the State.