Bill > A1873

Introduced Session

This bill would direct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide additional priority points to certain applicants that seek funding for Blue Acres projects and for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. Under the bill's provisions, projects that include or allow for a flood mitigation project to occur onsite would receive additional priority points in the ranking for funding pursuant to the respective program. The DEP would factor these additional points into its calculations when establishing: (1) the list of projects eligible to receive "Blue Acres funding"; (2) the "clean water project priority list," pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20); and (3) the "drinking water project priority list," pursuant to section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1). As used in the bill, "Blue Acres project" means any project of the State or a qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization to acquire, for recreation and conservation purposes, lands that have been damaged by, or may be prone to incurring damage caused by, storms or storm-related flooding, or that may buffer or protect other lands from such damage.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Jim Kennedy (D)*,  Bill Spearman (D)*,  Linda Carter (D),  Margie Donlon (D),  Mitchelle Drulis (D),  Roy Freiman (D),  Robert Karabinchak (D),  Luanne Peterpaul (D),  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D),  William Sampson (D),  Shanique Speight (D),  Sterley Stanley (D),  Lisa Swain (D),  Chris Tully (D),  Anthony Verrelli (D), 

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading (on 02/19/2026)

Official Document