Bill > S662

Introduced Session

This bill would establish various programs and in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) concerning the management of publicly owned forested land in the State. The bill would appropriate $50 million in constitutionally dedicated corporate business tax (CBT) revenues and $10 million from Green Acres bond act funds to implement the programs established by the bill. Specifically, the bill would require the DEP to conduct a comprehensive survey, mapping, and planning process for publicly owned forested lands, including lands owned by the State, and parcels of land owned by local government units that are larger than a size threshold that the DEP is to determine under the bill. The bill would require the survey to include certain items, as enumerated in subsection b. of section 2 of the bill, including the identification of forests that are suitable to be designated as part of the New Jersey Natural Areas System and the identification of areas suitable to function as carbon reserves. The bill would require the DEP to update the survey at least every 10 years. The bill would direct the DEP to establish a program to designate appropriate forested areas of the State as Carbon Reserve Forests. The bill would require that the program have the goals of (1) sequestering sufficient carbon in the State to advance the State's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, (2) protecting mature forests, and (3) providing for the development of old growth forests in the future. Under the bill, active management (e.g., tree felling) of a Carbon Reserve Forest would be required to have the aim of addressing an ecological or safety threat. Under the bill, the DEP would be required to adopt, within one year after the bill's enactment, rules and regulations to provide interim guidelines for forest stewardship and other management plans for publicly owned forested lands. The DEP would be required to cease approving such plans until the rules and regulations are adopted. In addition, the bill would require the DEP to adopt more comprehensive rules and regulations concerning forest stewardship plans on public forests, within three years after the bill's enactment. The bill would establish certain requirements for the rules and regulations, as enumerated in subsections b. and c. of section 6 of the bill. The bill would require any forest stewardship or other management plan for a State-owned parcel of forested land, or for a locally owned parcel of forested land that is larger than the size threshold established by the DEP, to conform to the rules and regulations. The bill would require that this threshold be not less than 10 acres. The bill would direct the DEP to establish a program to measure the deer population on publicly owned forested lands. The bill would also direct the DEP to begin developing programs to reduce the deer population, including: (1) establishing a pilot program for commercial sale of venison; (2) studying the viability of reintroducing natural predators into the State; (3) implementing fertility control measures on deer populations, including sterilization; and (4) revising current rules, regulations, and guidelines regarding deer baiting and feeding practices. The bill would amend the "Natural Areas System Act," P.L.1975, c.33 (C.13:1B-15.12a) to authorize the DEP to add additional acres of appropriate forested lands to the State's Natural Areas System. The bill would also require the DEP to develop and implement an appropriate management plan for each natural area in the Natural Areas System. The bill would amend the "Prescribed Burn Act," P.L.2018, c.107 (C.13:9-44.11 et seq.) to require the DEP to develop and administer a program for prescribed burning on public and private lands within 18 months after the bill's enactment. The bill would also require that certain provisions be included in the program. Current law authorizes the DEP to conduct prescribed burning or mechanical vegetation removal on an area of land which is determined by the Forest Fire Service to be in reasonable danger of wildfire. This bill would require the DEP to conduct prescribed burning or mechanical vegetation removal on an area of land which is determined by the Forest Fire Service to be in danger of wildfire. The bill would also require the DEP to adopt rules and regulations to implement the "Prescribed Burn Act" within 18 months after the bill's enactment. Finally, the bill would appropriate $50 million in constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for those portions of the bill's provisions that qualify as development or a stewardship activity on lands permanently preserved for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill would also appropriate $10 million from Green Acres bond act funds to implement the bill's provisions, provided that the use of the moneys is consistent with the provisions of the relevant bond act.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

John McKeon (D)*,  Bob Smith (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document