An Act appropriating $87,783,515 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues and various Green Acres funds to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses and concerning open space preservation and recreational development.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
Constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues means corporation business tax revenues dedicated pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund for the acquisition or development of lands by local government units for recreation and conservation purposes in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
Densely or highly populated municipality means a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile, or a population of at least 35,000 persons, according to the latest federal decennial census.
Densely populated county means a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.
Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund means the fund established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19).
Green Acres bond act means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.
Highly populated county means a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.
Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund means the fund established pursuant to section 6 of the Preserve New Jersey Act, P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48).
Stewardship activity means the same as the term is defined in section 3 of the Preserve New Jersey Act, P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-45).
2. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the following sums for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 4 of this act and for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 5 of this act:
a. $81,361,250 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues. Of the amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the sum of $255,000 is available due to interest earnings on the constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues; and
b. $2,153,515 from the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund and any Green Acres fund established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act, made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings.
3. a. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund the sum of $85,630,000 to implement the provisions of this act.
b. Of the amount appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the sum of $4,268,750 is appropriated from the Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for the purposes of paying administrative costs associated with administering the applicable provisions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
4. a. The following planning incentive acquisition projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED AMOUNT
Oakland Boro Bergen Boro of Oakland Open Space $700,000
& Recreation Plan
River Vale Twp Bergen Watershed Property Acquisition 66,650
Burlington County Burlington Planning Incentive 1,000,000
Evesham Twp Burlington Planning Incentive 1,000,000
Camden County Camden Open Space Plan 1,500,000
Livingston Twp Essex Open Space Acquisition 700,000
Verona Twp Essex Verona Open Space Acquisition 700,000
Gloucester County Gloucester Open Space Plan 1,400,000
Washington Twp Gloucester Open Space & Recreation Project 270,000
Bethlehem Twp Hunterdon Open Space Plan Implementation 400,000
Lebanon Twp Hunterdon Lebanon Twp 350,000
Preservation Priorities
Raritan Twp Hunterdon Land Acquisition Plan 700,000
Union Twp Hunterdon Union Twp Open Space Plan 700,000
Hamilton Twp Mercer Hamilton Township 1,050,000
Open Space Acquisition
Hopewell Twp Mercer Hopewell Open Space Acquisition 500,000
Lawrence Twp Mercer Open Space Plan Acquisition 272,167
Pennington Boro Mercer Pennington Greenbelt 300,000
Planning Incentive
Princeton Boro Mercer Princeton Open Space Acquisition 700,000
Robbinsville Twp Mercer Green Links Program 700,000
West Windsor Twp Mercer West Windsor Planning Incentive 700,000
Middlesex County Middlesex Middlesex County 1,280,000
Open Space Acquisition
North Brunswick Twp Middlesex North Brunswick Plan 1,050,000
Monmouth County Monmouth Planning Incentive Acquisition 1,750,000
Millstone Twp Monmouth Millstone Planning Incentive- 700,000
Project Evergreen
Madison Boro Morris Madison Boro 500,000
Open Space Acquisition
Ocean County Ocean Planning Incentive Grant 1,400,000
Brick Twp Ocean Open Space & Recreation Plan 1,200,000
Manchester Twp Ocean Planning Incentive 1,050,000
Passaic County Passaic Open Space Plan Acquisitions 1,750,000
Somerset County Somerset County Open Space Acquisition 1,400,000
TOTAL $25,788,817
b. The following standard acquisition projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this a