SENATE, No. 840

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 26, 1996

By Senator BUBBA

An Act appropriating $15,000,000 from the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, for the acquisition by the State, for recreation and conservation purposes, of lands in the floodway of the Passaic river and its tributaries that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage.

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

    1. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "1995 New Jersey Inland Blue Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 28 of the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, the sum of $15,000,000 for the acquisition by the State, for recreation and conservation purposes, of lands in the floodway of the Passaic river and its tributaries that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage.

    The sum appropriated pursuant to this section shall include administrative costs.

    2. The expenditure of the sums appropriated by this act is subject to the provisions and conditions of P.L.1995, c.204.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill would appropriate to the Department of Environmental Protection from the "1995 New Jersey Inland Blue Acres Fund," established pursuant to section 28 of the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, the sum of $15 million for the acquisition by the State, for recreation and conservation purposes, of lands in the floodway of the Passaic river and its tributaries that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage. The sum appropriated would include administrative costs.

    The monies appropriated by this bill would be used to acquire real property, including residences and other buildings, located in the Passaic river basin floodway. Under the provisions of the 1995 bond act, these monies could also be used (1) for the demolition of structures, removal of debris, and the restoration of the lands to a natural state or to a state useful for recreation and conservation purposes, and (2) to provide financial and other relocation assistance for property owners whose properties have been acquired by the State under the inland Blue Acres program.

    In addition, the bond act requires the State to pay to make payments in lieu of taxes to municipalities suffering a loss of tax revenue by reason of the acquisition and ownership by the State of property under the inland Blue Acres program. The payments would be for a period of 13 years following acquisition and would be paid according to a set formula that declines by a prescribed percentage each year.

Appropriates $15 million in inland Blue Acres bond funds for acquisition of lands in Passaic river floodway.