ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2993

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: JUNE 12, 1997

 

 

      The Assembly Environment, Science and Technology Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 2993.

      This bill would approve projects of certain local government units in northern New Jersey as eligible for funding with moneys made available from the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," P.L.1992, c.88, the "Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989," P.L.1989, c.183, or the "New Jersey Green Acres Bond Act of 1983," P.L.1983, c.354. The funding will be used to provide low-interest loans or grants, or both, to assist the local government units to acquire and develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and includes administrative costs. The total sum of the approved amounts for the northern New Jersey projects is $31,530,000. This bill is part of a four-bill legislative package approving the funding of Green Acres or Blue Acres projects of local government units around the State.

      To the extent that there are funds remaining after those local government unit projects in northern New Jersey listed in this bill are offered funding, the bill also authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, to use those funds for local government unit projects listed in the three other Green Acres or Blue Acres "local government" bills of this legislative package as well as for local government unit projects previously approved for funding pursuant to various acts implementing the 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1995 Green Acres bond acts.