SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 1040
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: OCTOBER 10, 2024
The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably
Senate Bill No. 1040.
This bill exempts community gardens that operate an on-site
composting system from any permits required by the Department of
Environmental Protection under the "Solid Waste Management Act,"
P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.), the "New Jersey Statewide
Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act," P.L.1987, c.102
(C.13:1E-99.11 et al.), the "Air Pollution Control Act (1954),"
P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.), or the "Water Pollution Control
Act," P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.), or any rules or regulations
adopted pursuant thereto.
To be eligible for the exemption provided by the bill: (1) the
property may only be used as a community garden; (2) the composting
system may only use vegetative waste generated by the community
garden; and (3) all compost generated from the composting system is
required to be used on-site exclusively for the community garden. As
defined in the bill, “community garden” means any publicly or
privately owned piece of land maintained and cultivated as a garden by
members of the surrounding community.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.