This bill mandates that municipal planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment must actively review and consider recommendations from local environmental commissions regarding applications for development. While existing law allows environmental commissions to submit recommendations, it does not require the boards to take these recommendations into account. The new legislation aims to ensure that these environmental insights are integrated into the decision-making process of the boards, thereby promoting environmentally conscious development practices.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that planning boards and boards of adjustment must provide a complete copy of every application for development to the environmental commission, replacing the previous requirement for only an informational copy. It also establishes that failure to provide this copy will invalidate any hearing or proceeding, a significant change from the current law which states that such a failure would not invalidate proceedings. This reinforces the importance of environmental input in the development process and enhances accountability for the boards in their interactions with environmental commissions.