Establishes procedure for notification to, and review by, municipalities of certain grant and loan applications for acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Impact
The proposed legislation aims to enhance municipal involvement and oversight in decisions that directly pertain to local lands designated for recreational and conservation purposes. By requiring municipalities to be notified of relevant applications, the bill addresses a gap in local input regarding these significant land management decisions. The expectation is that this involvement will lead to more informed decisions that reflect local priorities and community needs regarding environmental and land use issues.
Summary
Assembly Bill A1020 establishes a formal procedure for notifying municipalities when grant or loan applications are made for the acquisition or development of lands intended for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection must provide written notification to the governing bodies of affected municipalities. This is to ensure that municipalities have the opportunity to evaluate the appropriateness of the land proposed for acquisition, and to submit their feedback to the state or county for consideration within 30 days of receiving notification.
Contention
Some points of contention around this bill may arise from the balance of authority between state and local governments. Critics may argue that while the bill promotes local input, it does not provide sufficient power for municipalities to influence the final decisions made by state entities. If municipalities are not able to effectively oppose decisions, the intended benefits of increased local participation may not materialize. Additionally, concerns might be raised regarding the efficiency of the process—specifically if the 30-day evaluation period is adequate for municipalities to assess applications thoroughly and submit their evaluations.
Establishes procedure for notification to, and review by, municipalities of certain grant and loan applications for acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Requires consideration of ecotourism when evaluating and ranking applications by local government units or qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations for acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Requires DEP to prioritize funding for certain projects for acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes and certain environmental infrastructure projects that include, or allow for, flood mitigation projects.
Requires DEP to prioritize funding for certain projects for acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes and certain environmental infrastructure projects that include, or allow for, flood mitigation projects.
Requires DEP to prioritize funding for certain projects for acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes and certain environmental infrastructure projects that include, or allow for, flood mitigation projects.
Requires DEP to prioritize funding for certain projects for acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes and certain environmental infrastructure projects that include, or allow for, flood mitigation projects.
Allocates $10 million of constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants for certain lake management activities for recreation and conservation purposes.
Allocates $10 million of constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants for certain lake management activities for recreation and conservation purposes.
Allocates $10 million of constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants for certain lake management activities for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $87,783,515 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and for certain administrative expenses.
Appropriates $87,783,515 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and for certain administrative expenses.