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Bill > A3447
NJ A3447
NJ A3447Requires BPU to conduct inventory of lead-covered cables and develop plan for removal.
summary
Introduced
02/01/2024
02/01/2024
In Committee
02/01/2024
02/01/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to conduct an inventory of lead-covered cables in the State. Following completion of the inventory, the BPU would be required to develop and implement a plan for their removal. The use of lead alloys in telecommunications cables began in the 1880s as a way to sheath and protect copper wires from exposure to the elements. The industry began to discontinue the use of new lead-covered cables in the 1950s, after developing a new type of sheathing. Some legacy lead-covered cables remain in service today, providing customer voice and data services, including 911 and other emergency services. This issue was recently highlighted in an investigation reported in the Wall Street Journal in July 2023 asserting that lead-sheathed cables present an environmental and public health hazard due to the release of lead in the environment. According to sampling conducted for the Wall Street Journal investigation, more than 350 bus stops in New Jersey are next to or beneath aerial lead-covered cables, based on an analysis of NJ Transit data, and there are 64 schools in the State where aerial lead cables have been identified.
AI Summary
This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to conduct an inventory of lead-covered cables in the state and develop a plan for their removal. The inventory will identify aerial and buried cables, both in use and no longer in use, and collect detailed information about their location and composition. After the inventory is complete, the BPU will develop a removal plan that prioritizes cables located near vulnerable areas like schools and hospitals, as well as those under or adjacent to water. The BPU will then oversee the actual removal of the lead-covered cables in accordance with the plan, and report regularly on the status and challenges of the removal process. The bill also requires the BPU to include funding for the implementation of these provisions in its annual budget request.
Committee Categories
Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 02/01/2024)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A3447 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A3500/3447_I1.HTM |
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