Environment (Public Lands)

This bill (S 737) exempts small-scale renewable energy projects (under 20 megawatts) from all New Jersey state land-use permit requirements, such as wetlands, coastal, and flood zone regulations. Instead, project owners must seek approval only from their local government unit (e.g., township or municipality) and their utility company, provided the project meets state construction standards. If an applicant applies directly to a state agency, they forfeit the option to use local approval only. The bill applies to owners/operators of solar, wind, geothermal, or small-scale biomass projects seeking to build or expand facilities.

This bill authorizes New Jersey to exchange approximately 219 acres of State-owned land in Lacey and Stafford Townships (Ocean County) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for about 52 acres in Galloway Township (Atlantic County). The State-owned land being transferred will become part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, while the acquired land currently houses the Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Resources Administration offices (occupied since 1964). The exchange allows the State to use its funds to construct new offices on the federal land, replacing aging facilities. The bill specifies that minor adjustments may be made to equalize the land values and exempts the transfer from certain state land sale regulations.