This bill creates a three-year "Smart Stormwater Sensor Pilot Program" funded by a $1 million appropriation to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It allows counties and municipalities to apply for grants to install smart sensors in storm drains and flood-prone infrastructure, which monitor real-time water levels and send flood alerts to residents and agencies. Local governments must submit detailed applications showing flood risk history and response plans before receiving grants. The DEP will report annually on the program's effectiveness, including sensor performance, geographic distribution, and recommendations for potential expansion.
New Jersey's bill A2760 would allow owners of small renewable energy projects (under 20 megawatts, such as rooftop solar or small wind systems) to seek approval only from local governments instead of state agencies for land use. This exempts projects from state permitting requirements under laws covering wetlands, coastal zones, flood areas, and other protected lands, provided they pass local inspections and get utility approval. Projects must still follow the State Uniform Construction Code for safety. The bill requires applicants to choose between local or state permitting upfront, waiving local approval if they first apply to a state agency.
This bill (A 760) eliminates a 5% down payment requirement for local governments issuing bonds to fund hazard mitigation and resilience projects. It directly affects municipalities and counties when financing projects like flood protection, storm recovery, or climate adaptation infrastructure. The key change exempts these projects from needing to set aside 5% of bond proceeds as a down payment and removes the requirement to apply to the Local Finance Board for maturity adjustments on related bonds. This simplifies financing for communities addressing climate risks without changing bond maturity rules for other projects.
This bill designates the week containing Earth Day (April 22) each year as "Litter Law Enforcement Week" in New Jersey. During this week, the Department of Environmental Protection and State Police must prioritize enforcing state littering laws (including specific statutes on illegal dumping and littering in public spaces), while encouraging local law enforcement to join the effort. Fines collected from littering violations during this period must be split equally into three state funds: the Clean Communities Program Fund (for public litter removal), the Coastal Protection Trust Fund (for beach cleanups), and the Municipal Stormwater Fund (for litter control at stormwater sites). Municipalities and counties can also choose to donate their collected fines to these funds.
This bill (S 1383) requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prioritize funding for two types of projects: 1) land acquisition for recreation and conservation, and 2) environmental infrastructure projects that include flood mitigation. It directs the DEP to use specific criteria - such as protecting floodplains, wetlands, and flood-prone areas - to rank projects for funding under existing Green Acres programs. The bill amends current law to ensure projects addressing flood risk receive priority when allocating constitutionally dedicated funds. This affects local governments and nonprofits applying for DEP grants to acquire or develop land for public recreation or conservation uses.
This bill prohibits New Jersey Transit (NJT) from making major rail yard changes - like adding tracks or building fuel facilities - near environmentally sensitive areas without special approval. It specifically restricts projects in coastal zones, areas draining into Barnegat Bay Estuary, or within 1,000 feet of wetlands, tidal waters, or freshwater wetlands. NJT must first obtain all required environmental permits and get written authorization from the Governor after consulting the Environmental Protection Department and EPA. The rule applies to rail yard projects submitted for permits after March 31, 2022.
This bill, S 2332, amends New Jersey's affordable housing law to exclude certain environmentally protected or flood-prone lands from counting toward a municipality's obligation to provide affordable housing. Specifically, it removes lands where development is already prohibited or heavily restricted by environmental laws (like flood zones or conservation areas), agricultural preservation covenants, historic sites, or small private parcels under five housing units. Municipalities will no longer need to count these excluded lands when calculating their "fair share" of affordable housing requirements under state law. The change clarifies that lands already legally off-limits for development cannot be forced into housing projects.
This bill permanently designates the 21.5-acre Caven Point Peninsula in Liberty State Park (Jersey City, Hudson County) as protected natural habitat. It preserves the area’s coastal wetland ecosystem, critical bird breeding grounds, and urban environmental education resource by overriding previous land use rules. The designation ensures the peninsula remains undisturbed for wildlife conservation and public education. The bill directly affects only this specific peninsula within Liberty State Park, with no broader geographic or policy implications.
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 requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to immediately conduct bank stabilization projects on waterways experiencing significant erosion that has damaged homes or caused land loss, but only if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has conducted flood control work upstream. It mandates the DEP to consult with local municipal engineers and affected homeowners during project planning and to expedite emergency permits under flood control laws. The bill appropriates $10 million from the state general fund specifically for these projects, with additional funding requests requiring immediate notification to budget officials if needed. It directly affects residents in flood-prone areas near waterways with upstream Corps of Engineers projects.
