Bill Text: NJ S2906 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes natural disaster relief grant program in DEP; appropriates $250 million.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-04 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S2906 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2906-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator BOB SMITH
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes natural disaster relief grant program in DEP; appropriates $250 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a natural disaster relief grant program in the Department of Environmental Protection, supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Climate change-related natural disaster" means flooding, storm damage, drought, excessive heat, or other adverse weather conditions that have been brought on, or exacerbated, by global climate change, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection.
"Local government unit" means a county, municipality, or any board, commission, committee, authority, or agency thereof that is subject to the provisions of the "Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.), including a housing authority or redevelopment agency created or continued under the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-1 et seq.).
"School district" means any local or regional school district established pursuant to chapter 8 or chapter 13 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
b. The Department of Environmental Protection shall establish a program to provide relief, in the form of grants for up to 50 percent of eligible project costs, to local government units or school districts whose facilities have been damaged or otherwise harmed by a climate change-related natural disaster. The purpose of the program shall be to ameliorate the harmful effects of climate change on residents of the State.
c. In establishing the program pursuant to this section, the department shall:
(1) develop guidelines and procedures for the submission of grant applications,
(2) establish eligibility criteria and eligible project costs for grant awards;
(3) establish terms and conditions for the award of a grant under this section, and monitor grant recipients' compliance with the terms and conditions;
(4) require the recipient of a grant to report to the department information relating to its use of grant funds under the program; and
(5) submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, during each year in which a grant is awarded, on the effectiveness of the grant program in accomplishing the purposes enumerated in this section.
d. There is established in the Department of Environmental Protection a special, nonlapsing fund to be known as the Climate Change Relief Fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used solely by the department for the purpose of administering the grant program established by this section. The fund shall be administered by the State Treasurer and shall be credited with:
(1) moneys that are appropriated into the fund by the Legislature; and
(2) any return on investment of moneys deposited in the fund.
e. The department may, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Climate Change Relief fund established pursuant to section 1 of this act the sum of $250 million, in order to develop and implement the grant program established pursuant to section 1 of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would direct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a program to provide relief, in the form of grants for up to 50 percent of eligible project costs, to local government units or school districts whose facilities have been damaged or otherwise harmed by a climate change-related natural disaster. The purpose of the program would be to ameliorate the harmful effects of climate change on residents of the State. Under the bill, the DEP would determine the eligibility criteria, covered costs, priority ranking of projects, and application procedures for the program. The bill would require the DEP to report to Governor and the Legislature on the progress of the program in achieving its goals. The bill would appropriate $250 million from the General Fund to the DEP to provide the initial funding for the program.
