This bill amends existing legislation to authorize the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide grants from the Global Warming Solutions Fund specifically for farmers. The funding will be used to finance the replacement of inefficient or polluting agricultural equipment with more efficient, less polluting alternatives. The bill expands the eligibility for funding to include agricultural entities alongside commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors, thereby broadening the scope of projects that can receive financial assistance.

In addition to the new provisions for agricultural grants, the bill stipulates that the application process for these grants must require applicants to demonstrate that their old equipment has been dismantled or permanently decommissioned. This requirement aims to ensure that the funding is used effectively to promote environmental sustainability. The EDA, in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities and the Department of Environmental Protection, will continue to determine the grant application and award processes, maintaining oversight of the fund's use in line with its original purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2C-51