Bill > A2780

This bill mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) take on the responsibility for dredging and maintaining waterways that provide boat access to "lagoon communities," which are developments established in coastal areas featuring lagoons to enhance property value and offer boat access. The bill acknowledges that these communities have contributed economically to coastal areas, and their residents should not be penalized for their investments. It requires the DEP to create a list of these communities and their access waterways, along with a prioritized dredging schedule to be completed within two years of the bill's enactment. Furthermore, the DEP must establish a long-term maintenance dredging schedule and its associated costs, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection will submit these plans to the Governor and Legislature, ensuring funding for maintenance dredging is included in future budget requests. To facilitate these actions, the bill appropriates a total of $6,000,000 to the DEP, with $5,000,000 allocated for the initial dredging and $1,000,000 for establishing and implementing the maintenance dredging schedule.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A2780