ASSEMBLY, No. 2963

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MAY 12, 1997

 

 

By Assemblymen MORAN and CONNORS

 

 

A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 28, 1996 (P.L.1996, c.42).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.1996, c.42, there is appropriated out of the General Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:

 

 

DIRECT STATE SERVICES

42 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

40 Community Development and Environmental Management

42 Natural Resource Management

11-4870 Forest Resource Management ......................................................

    $1,350,000

        Special Purpose:

 

 

            Fire Fighting Costs .............................................

($1,350,000)

 

 

            2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

      This bill appropriates $1,350,000 in supplementary funding to the Bureau of Forest Fire Management, by statutory mandate the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, which is responsible for the protection of life and property from wildfire on 3,150,000 acres of New Jersey's forests, brushlands and salt marshes. The appropriation will address critical manpower, equipment and maintenance shortages now facing this agency by enabling it to hire 12 full-time employees, purchase new fire trucks and bulldozer/plow units, and increase maintenance services for existing fire fighting vehicles and equipment.


      Although the Forest Fire Service's budget has remained relatively constant over the last six years, its full-time staffing level has decreased by 12 percent over the last 10 years. In addition, the scheduled replacement of aging and unsafe forest fire emergency vehicles and equipment has been precluded by budget shortfalls since 1990. At the present time, over 50 percent of attack fire engines are over 10 years old, many with over 100,000 miles.

 

 

                             

 

Appropriates $1,350,000 to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.