New Jersey Assembly Bill A695

New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/11/22
• Refer: 1/11/22

Caption

Establishes special dredging account; directs $5,000,000 of sales tax collected annually be deposited therein; directs DEP to administer account and dredging program with certain requirements.

Impact

By dedicating a portion of sales tax revenues to this account, the legislation seeks to address the lack of funding for dredging projects in New Jersey's non-port regions. Previously, the majority of available dredging funds were allocated to the New York-New Jersey port region, leaving other important waterways without necessary resources for maintenance and restoration. The bill underscores the importance of these waterways for local economies, particularly for tourism and boating industries that significantly boost the state economy.

Summary

Assembly Bill A695 establishes a special dredging account in New Jersey, called the 'Community and Navigational Waterways Restorative and Maintenance Dredging Account'. This legislation directs $5,000,000 of annual sales tax revenues to be allocated for the dredging of inland waterways outside the port region. Specifically, the funds are meant for navigational waters and for the restorative and maintenance dredging of other waterways that provide access to residential areas in coastal regions. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be responsible for managing this account and overseeing the dredging projects funded through it.

Contention

Some points of contention arise from the provisions within the bill regarding the prioritization and eligibility of projects funded through this dredging account. The DEP is tasked with determining which waterways and projects qualify for funding and must maintain an updated list of these projects. This could create challenges in ensuring fair access to the funds among various municipal and community stakeholders, particularly those in more urban areas that may face differing levels of waterway access needs. Furthermore, community involvement is crucial as the bill mandates that the DEP solicit recommendations for projects, which could influence the allocation of resources and reflect local priorities more accurately.