Establishes State purchasing preference for pervious pavement material; provides CBT tax credit to certain taxpayers that purchase pervious pavement material for municipal, county, or State construction or improvement projects.
The bill is expected to improve state infrastructure by incentivizing the use of materials that permit rainwater penetration, thereby reducing stormwater runoff and enhancing water quality through filtration. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will lead in creating a stormwater management hierarchy to rank various pervious materials based on their effectiveness, ensuring that only effective solutions are promoted. Furthermore, a requirement for state agencies to include provisions for pervious materials in bids aims to solidify these practices into regular procurement activities.
Assembly Bill A579 aims to establish a state purchasing preference for pervious pavement materials, promoting their usage in municipal, county, and state construction projects. The bill mandates that whenever a state agency enters a contract for asphalt or concrete, a discount for pervious pavement material be applied during bid assessments. This discount is capped at five percent of the total bid price and is intended to encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly materials that enhance stormwater management.
Discussion around A579 may center on the financial implications for construction budgets and state contracts, particularly regarding the proposed tax credit for taxpayers purchasing pervious pavement materials. This credit, which can go up to $3,000 for each project and is available for up to eight projects per privilege period, may raise questions about its sustainability and effectiveness in offsetting costs for taxpayers. Opposition may arise concerning the potential monopolization of certain materials within the market and whether the bill adequately balances environmental considerations with economic ones.