Bill > A5547

Introduced Session

This bill would require that a grant awarded by the Department of Environmental Protection for a forest stewardship plan to a local government unit be for the total cost of the development and implementation of the plan. Current law authorizes the department to award grants of up to $1,500 from the "Forest Stewardship Incentive Fund" (fund) to pay for the cost of developing a forest stewardship plan pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2009, c.256 (C.13:1L-31) to owners of forested land, including local government units. Current law also provides that, if the cost of developing a forest stewardship plan exceeds $1,500, the department may also award 80 percent of the cost that exceeds $1,500 to the owner, up to a maximum grant of $2,500. The fund is credited with moneys allocated for programs that enhance the stewardship and restoration of the State's forests pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2007, c.340 (C.26:2C-51) from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund." This bill would require a grant to a local government unit to cover the total cost of development and implementation of a forest stewardship plan for its forested land. Finally, the bill would require that of the moneys allocated for forest stewardship from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund," at least 10 percent of that allocation would be required to be allocated for grants for the development and implementation of forest stewardship plans.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Ronald Dancer (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee (on 05/05/2021)