ASSEMBLY SENIOR ISSUES, TOURISM AND GAMING COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2131

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 17, 1996

      The Assembly Senior Issues, Tourism and Gaming Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly, No. 2131.

      The Pinelands comprehensive management plan and the accompanying land use regulations impose restrictions on opportunities for development in many municipalities in the Pinelands area, especially those within the non-growth area. Some development, however, is possible in these rural towns.

      This bill establishes a pilot program to promote economic development in communities in the Pinelands where large portions of the municipality are within an environmentally sensitive area, the municipality contains large areas of State property, limited sites are available for economic development, sewer service is unavailable, and no local resources are available for planning or economic development activities. The Pinelands Commission, in cooperation with several municipalities that meet these criteria, would develop a program to identify economic development opportunities compatible with the environmentally sensitive nature of the area and complementary to regional requirements for resource protection and to provide assistance and planning to attract such development. Within two years of the effective date of the act, the commission would be required to issue a report concerning the program and detailing the expenditure of funds appropriated.

      The bill appropriates $250,000 from the General Fund to the Pinelands Commission to implement the provisions of the act.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to clarify that any economic development activities authorized by the bill should be compatible with the environmentally sensitive nature of the Pinelands area. The amendments require the Pinelands Commission to include within its report a detailed, itemized description of the expenditure of the funds appropriated by the bill. The amendments also make a technical correction to the bill.