Bill > S2298

Introduced Session

This bill would provide several FY 2024 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the purpose of hiring new staff. The bill would also establish a new nonlapsing fund in the DEP to fund emergency response efforts to reduce unexpected drinking water contamination. Specifically, the bill would establish the "Drinking Water Emergency Response Fund" in the DEP. The bill would stipulate that moneys in the fund may only be used to: (1) fund emergency response efforts by the DEP to drinking water contamination from unexpected contamination or other incidents, including chemical releases or spills, or harmful algal blooms; or (2) provide moneys to publicly owned drinking water systems to fund emergency response efforts, as described in paragraph (1). The bill would appropriate $1 million from the General Fund to the "Drinking Water Emergency Response Fund." The bill would also appropriate $1.4 million to the New Jersey Forest Service, $1.3 million to the New Jersey State Park Service, $2 million to the Division of Water Supply and Geoscience in the DEP, and $1 million to the Division of Land Use Regulation in the DEP. The purpose of the appropriations would be to pay the salaries of new staff members in those divisions of the DEP. The bill would also appropriate $150,000 to the Green Acres program for the purpose of employing a volunteer coordinator at the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Linda Greenstein (D)*,  Bob Smith (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 01/25/2024)

Official Document