A4173

An Act concerning the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and amending various parts of the statutory law.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 3 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-3) is amended to read as follows:

3. As used in sections 1 through 27 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 through C.58:11B-27), sections 23 through 27 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), and sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4):

“Bonds” means bonds issued by the trust pursuant to P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.);

“Combined sewer overflow” means the discharge of untreated or partially treated stormwater runoff and wastewater from a combined sewer system into a body of water;

“Combined sewer system” means a sewer system designed to carry sanitary wastewater at all times, which is also designed to collect and transport stormwater runoff from streets and other sources, thereby serving a combined purpose;

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection;

“Cost” means the cost of all labor, materials, machinery and equipment, lands, property, rights and easements, financing charges, interest on bonds, notes or other obligations, plans and specifications, surveys or estimates of costs and revenues, engineering and legal services, and all other expenses necessary or incident to all or part of an environmental infrastructure project;

“Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection;

“Environmental infrastructure project” means the acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or reconstruction of all or part of any structure, facility or equipment, or real or personal property necessary for or ancillary to any: (1) wastewater treatment system project, including any stormwater management or combined sewer overflow abatement projects; or (2) water supply project, as authorized pursuant to P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), including any water resources project, as authorized pursuant to P.L.2003, c.162;

“Federal infrastructure bank program” means the United States Department of Transportation State Infrastructure Bank Program provided for in section 350 of Pub.L.104-59 and Pub.L.102-240 as amended or superseded;

“Line of credit loan” means a short-term or temporary loan for project planning, engineering design, and construction issued before or during the planning stage of a project;

“Local government unit” means (1) a State authority, county, municipality, municipal, county or regional sewerage or utility authority, municipal sewerage district, joint meeting, improvement authority, or any other political subdivision of the State authorized to construct, operate, and maintain wastewater treatment systems; (2) a State authority, district water supply commission, county, municipality, municipal, county or regional utilities authority, municipal water district, joint meeting, or any other political subdivision of the State authorized pursuant to law to operate or maintain a public water supply system or to construct, rehabilitate, operate, or maintain water supply facilities or otherwise provide water for human consumption; or (3) a county, municipality, municipal, county or regional transportation authority, or any other political subdivision of the State authorized to construct, operate, and maintain public highways or transportation projects as defined pursuant to this section;

“New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program” means the financing program to fund environmental infrastructure projects;

“New Jersey Transportation Infrastructure Financing Program” means the financing program to fund transportation infrastructure projects;

“Notes” means notes issued by the trust pursuant to P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4);

“Onsite septic system ordinance or regulation” means an ordinance adopted by a municipality or county or regulation adopted by a regional planning agency establishing the requirements for construction, maintenance and repair of onsite wastewater treatment and disposal systems;

“Onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system” means an on-site system designed to treat and dispose of domestic sewage;

“Other assistance” means forms of financial assistance, in addition to loans, authorized by the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank from the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund, including, but not limited to, use of funds to: provide credit enhancements; serve as a capital reserve for bond or other debt instrument financing; subsidize interest rates; ensure the issuance of letters of credit and credit instruments; finance purchase and lease agreements with respect to transit projects; and provide bond or other debt financing instrument security;

“Project” means the acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or reconstruction of all or part of any structure, facility, or equipment, or real or personal property necessary for or ancillary to any: (1) wastewater treatment system project, including any stormwater management or combined sewer overflow abatement projects; (2) water supply project, as authorized pursuant to P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), including any water resources project, as authorized pursuant to P.L.2003, c.162; or (3) transportation project authorized pursuant to sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4);

“Public highway” means public roads, streets, expressways, freeways, parkways, motorways and boulevards, including bridges, tunnels, overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, express bus roadways, bus pullouts and turnarounds, park-ride facilities, traffic circles, grade separations, traffic control devices, the elimination or improvement of crossings of railroads and highways, whether at-grade or not at-grade, bicycle and pedestrian pathways and pedestrian and bicycle bridges, and any property, rights of way, easements and interests therein needed for the construction, improvement, and maintenance of highways;

“Public water utility” means any investor-owned water company or small water company;

“Small water company” means any company, purveyor or entity, other than a governmental agency, that provides water for human consumption and which regularly serves less than 1,000 customer connections, including nonprofit, noncommunity water systems owned or operated by a nonprofit group or organization;

“Stormwater management system” means any equipment, plants, structures, machinery, apparatus, management practices, or land, or any combination thereof, acquired, used, constructed, implemented or operated to prevent nonpoint source pollution, abate improper cross-connections and interconnections between stormwater and sewer systems, minimize stormwater runoff, reduce soil erosion, or induce groundwater recharge, or any combination thereof;

“Transportation project” means capital projects for public highways, approach roadways and other necessary land-side improvements, ramps, signal systems, roadbeds, transit lanes or rights of way, pedestrian walkways and bridges connecting to passenger stations and servicing facilities, bridges, and grade crossings;

“Trust” means the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank created pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-4);

“Wastewater” means residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural liquid waste, sewage, septage, stormwater runoff, or any combination thereof, or other liquid residue discharged or collected into a sewer system or stormwater management system, or any combination thereof;

“Wastewater treatment system” means any equipment, plants, structures, machinery, apparatus, or land, or any combination thereof, acquired, used, constructed or operated by, or on behalf of, a local government unit for the storage, collection, reduction, recycling, reclamation, disposal, separation, or other treatment of wastewater or sewage sludge, or for the collection or treatment, or both, of stormwater runoff and wastewater, or for the final disposal of residues resulting from the treatment of wastewater, including, but not limited to, pumping and ventilating stations, treatment plants and works, connections, outfall sewers, interceptors, trunk lines, stormwater management systems, and other personal property and appurtenances necessary for their use or operation; “wastewater treatment system” shall include a stormwater management system or a combined sewer system;

“Wastewater treatment system project” means any work relating to the acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or reconstruction of all or part of any structure, facility or equipment, or real or personal property necessary for or ancillary to any wastewater treatment system that meets the requirements set forth in sections 20, 21, and 22 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20, C.58:11B-21, and C.58:11B-22); or any work relating to any of the stormwater management or combined sewer overflow abatement projects identified in the stormwater management and combined sewer overflow abatement project priority list adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 28 of P.L.1989, c.181; or any work relating to the purposes set forth in section 6 of P.L.2003, c.162; or any work relating to any other project eligible for financing under the “Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972” (33 U.S.C. s.1251 et seq.), or any amendatory or supplementary acts thereto;

“Water resources project” means any work related to transferring water between public water systems during a state of water emergency, to avert a drought emergency in all or any part of the State, to plan, design or construct interconnections of existing water supplies, or to extend water supplies to areas with contaminated ground water supplies;

“Water supply facilities” means and refers to the real property and the plants, structures, interconnections between existing water supply facilities, machinery and equipment and other property, real, personal and mixed, acquired, constructed or operated, or to be acquired, constructed or operated, in whole or in part, by or on behalf of a public water utility, or by or on behalf of the State or a local government unit, for the purpose of augmenting the natural water resources of the State and making available an increased supply of water for all uses, or of conserving existing water resources, and any and all appurtenances necessary, useful or convenient for the collecting, impounding, storing, improving, treating, filtering, conserving or transmitting of water, and for the preservation and protection of these resources and facilities, whether in public or private ownership, and providing for the conservation and development of future water supply resources, and facilitating incidental recreational uses thereof;

“Water supply project” means any work relating to the acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or reconstruction of all or part of any structure, facility or equipment, or real or personal property necessary for or ancillary to water supply facilities that meets the requirements set forth in sections 24, 25, and 26 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1, C.58:11B-21.1, and C.58:11B-22.1); or any work relating to the purposes set forth in section 4 of P.L.1981, c.261; or any work relating to the purposes set forth in section 6 of P.L.2003, c.162; or any work relating to any other project eligible for funding pursuant to the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996,” Pub.L.104-182, and any amendatory and supplementary acts thereto.

(cf: P.L.2017, c.144, s.1)

2. Section 6 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-6) is amended to read as follows:

6. a. Except as may be otherwise expressly provided in the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), the trust may from time to time issue its bonds, notes, or other obligations in any principal amounts as in the judgment of the trust shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds for any of its corporate purposes, including the payment, funding, or refunding of the principal of, or interest or redemption premiums on, any bonds, notes, or other obligations issued by it, whether the bonds, notes, or other obligations or the interest or redemption premiums thereon to be funded or refunded have or have not become due, the establishment or increase of reserves or other funds to secure or to pay the bonds, notes, or other obligations or interest thereon and all other costs or expenses of the trust incident to and necessary to carry out its corporate purposes and powers.

b. Whether or not the bonds, notes or other obligations of the trust are of a form and character as to be negotiable instruments under the terms of Title 12A of the New Jersey Statutes, the bonds, notes and other obligations are made negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for the purposes of Title 12A of the New Jersey Statutes, subject only to the provisions of the bonds, notes and other obligations for registration.

c. Bonds, notes or other obligations of the trust shall be authorized by a resolution or resolutions of the trust and may be issued in one or more series and shall bear any date or dates, mature at any time or times, bear interest at any rate or rates of interest per annum, be in any denomination or denominations, be in any form, either coupon, registered or book entry, carry any conversion or registration privileges, have any rank or priority, be executed in any manner, be payable in any coin or currency of the United States which at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, at any place or places within or without the State, and be subject to any terms of redemption by the trust or the holders thereof, with or without premium, as the resolution or resolutions may provide. A resolution of the trust authorizing the issuance of bonds, notes or other obligations may provide that the bonds, notes or other obligations be secured by a trust indenture between the trust and a trustee, vesting in the trustee any property, rights, powers and duties in trust consistent with the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4) as the trust may determine.

d. Bonds, notes or other obligations of the trust may be sold at any price or prices and in any manner as the trust may determine. [Each] Notwithstanding any provisions of the “Local Bond Law,” N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq., to the contrary, each bond, note or other obligation shall mature and be paid not later than 30 years for environmental infrastructure projects, 45 years for combined sewer overflow projects, and 31 years for transportation projects, from the effective date thereof, or the certified useful life of the project or projects to be financed by the bonds, whichever is less, or a shorter period of time as may be applicable to any companion loan issued pursuant to federal law or regulation.

All bonds of the trust shall be sold at the price or prices and in the manner as the trust shall determine, after notice of sale, a summary of which shall be published at least once in at least three newspapers published in the State of New Jersey and at least once in a publication carrying municipal bond notices and devoted primarily to financial news published in New Jersey or the city of New York, the first summary notice to be at least five days prior to the day of bidding. The notice of sale may contain a provision to the effect that any or all bids made in pursuance thereof may be rejected. In the event of such rejection or of failure to receive any acceptable bid, the trust, at any time within 60 days from the date of such advertised sale, may sell such bonds at private sale upon terms not less favorable to the State than the terms offered by any rejected bid. The trust may sell all or part of the bonds of any series as issued to any State fund or to the federal government or any agency thereof, at private sale, without advertisement.

e. Bonds, notes or other obligations of the trust may be issued under the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4) without obtaining the consent of any department, division, board, bureau or agency of the State, and without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things, other than those consents, proceedings, conditions or things which are specifically required by P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4).

f. Bonds, notes or other obligations of the trust issued under the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4) shall not be a debt or liability of the State or of any political subdivision thereof other than the trust and shall not create or constitute any indebtedness, liability or obligation of the State or any political subdivision, but all these bonds, notes and other obligations, unless funded or refunded by bonds, notes or other obligations, shall be payable solely from revenues or funds pledged or available for their payment as authorized in P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4). Each bond, note and obligation shall contain on its face a statement to the effect that the trust is obligated to pay the principal thereof or the interest thereon only from its revenues, receipts or funds pledged or available for their payment as authorized in P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), and that neither the State, nor any political subdivision thereof, is obligated to pay the principal or interest and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State, or any political subdivision thereof, is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on the bonds, notes or other obligations.

g. The aggregate principal amount of bonds, notes or other obligations, including subordinated indebtedness of the trust, shall not exceed (1) $5,000,000,000 with respect to bonds, notes, or other obligations issued to finance the Disaster Relief Emergency Financing Program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), and (2) $3,800,000,000 with respect to bonds, notes, or other obligations issued for all other purposes of the trust. In computing the foregoing limitations there shall be excluded all the bonds, notes or other obligations, including subordinated indebtedness of the trust, which shall be issued for refunding purposes, whenever the refunding shall be determined to result in a savings.

(1) Upon the decision by the trust to issue refunding bonds, except for current refunding, and prior to the sale of those bonds, the trust shall transmit to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, a report that a decision has been made, reciting the basis on which the decision was made, including an estimate of the debt service savings to be achieved and the calculations upon which the trust relied when making the decision to issue refunding bonds. The report shall also disclose the intent of the trust to issue and sell the refunding bonds at public or private sale and the reasons therefor.

(2) The Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor shall have the authority to approve or disapprove the sales of refunding bonds as included in each report submitted in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. The committee shall notify the trust in writing of the approval or disapproval within 30 days of receipt of the report. Should the committee not act within 30 days of receipt of the report, the trust may proceed with the sale of the refunding bonds, provided that the sale of refunding bonds shall realize not less than three percent net present value debt service savings.

(3) No refunding bonds shall be issued unless the report has been submitted to and approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor as set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.

(4) Within 30 days after the sale of the refunding bonds, the trust shall notify the committee of the result of that sale, including the prices and terms, conditions and regulations concerning the refunding bonds, the actual amount of debt service savings to be realized as a result of the sale of refunding bonds, and the intended use of the proceeds from the sale of those bonds.

(5) The committee shall review all information and reports submitted in accordance with this subsection and may, on its own initiative, make observations to the trust, or to the Legislature, or both, as it deems appropriate.

h. Each issue of bonds, notes, or other obligations of the trust may, if it is determined by the trust, be general obligations thereof payable out of any revenues, receipts or funds of the trust, or special obligations thereof payable out of particular revenues, receipts or funds, subject only to any agreements with the holders of bonds, notes or other obligations, and may be secured by one or more of the following:

(1) Pledge of revenues and other receipts to be derived from the payment of the interest on and principal of notes, bonds or other obligations issued to the trust by one or more local government units, and any other payment made to the trust pursuant to agreements with any local government units, or a pledge or assignment of any notes, bonds, or other obligations of any local government unit and the rights and interest of the trust therein;

(2) Pledge of rentals, receipts and other revenues to be derived from leases or other contractual arrangements with any person or entity, public or private, including one or more local government units, or a pledge or assignment of those leases or other contractual arrangements and the rights and interest of the trust therein;

(3) Pledge of all moneys, funds, accounts, securities and other funds, including the proceeds of the bonds, notes or other obligations;

(4) Pledge of the receipts to be derived from the payments of State aid, payable to the trust pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-12);

(5) A mortgage on all or any part of the property, real or personal, of the trust then owned or thereafter to be acquired, or a pledge or assignment of mortgages made to the trust by any person or entity, public or private, including one or more local government units and the rights and interest of the trust therein.

i. The trust shall not issue any bonds, notes or other obligations, or otherwise incur any additional indebtedness, on or after June 30, 2033.

j. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1996, c.88).

(cf: P.L.2016, c.56, s.15)

3. Section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9) is amended to read as follows:

9. a. (1) The trust may make and contract to make loans to local government units, or to a local government unit on behalf of another local government unit, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of any wastewater treatment system project or water supply project, which the local government unit may lawfully undertake or acquire and for which the local government unit is authorized by law to borrow money.

(2) The trust may make and contract to make loans to public water utilities, or to any other person or local government unit on behalf of a public water utility, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of any water supply project, which the public water utility may lawfully undertake or acquire.

(3) The trust may make and contract to make loans to private persons other than local government units, or to any other person or local government unit on behalf of a private person, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of stormwater management systems.

(4) The trust may make and contract to make loans and provide other assistance to a local government unit or consortia thereof to finance the cost of transportation projects pursuant to sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), and provided that the federally-funded subaccount is operated in accordance with the provisions of the federal infrastructure bank program.

The loans may be made subject to those terms and conditions as the trust shall determine to be consistent with the purposes thereof. Each loan by the trust and the terms and conditions thereof shall be subject to approval by the State Treasurer, and the trust shall make available to the State Treasurer all information, statistical data and reports of independent consultants or experts as the State Treasurer shall deem necessary in order to evaluate the loan. Each loan to a local government unit, public water utility or any other person shall be evidenced by notes, bonds or other obligations thereof issued to the trust. In the case of each local government unit, notes and bonds to be issued to the trust and, if applicable, the State, acting by and through the Department of Environmental Protection, by the local government unit (1) shall be authorized and issued as provided by law for the issuance of notes and bonds by the local government unit, (2) notwithstanding any provisions of the “Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law,” P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-1 et seq.) to the contrary, shall be approved by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, and (3) notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.40A:2-27, N.J.S.40A:2-28 and N.J.S.40A:2-29 or any other provisions of law to the contrary, may be sold at private sale to the trust or the State, as the case may be, at any price, whether or not less than par value, and shall be subject to redemption prior to maturity at any times and at any prices as the trust or the State, as the case may be, and local government units may agree. Each loan to a local government unit, public water utility or any other person and the notes, bonds or other obligations thereby issued shall bear interest at a rate or rates per annum as the trust or the State, as the case may be, and the local government unit, public water utility or any other person, as the case may be, may agree.

b. The trust is authorized to guarantee or contract to guarantee the payment of all or any portion of the principal and interest on bonds, notes or other obligations issued by a local government unit to finance the cost of any wastewater treatment system project, water supply project, or transportation project which the local government unit may lawfully undertake or acquire and for which the local government unit is authorized by law to borrow money, and the guarantee shall constitute an obligation of the trust for the purposes of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4). Each guarantee by the trust and the terms and conditions thereof shall be subject to approval by the State Treasurer, and the trust shall make available to the State Treasurer all information, statistical data and reports of independent consultants or experts as the State Treasurer shall deem necessary in order to evaluate the guarantee.

c. The trust shall not make or contract to make any loans or guarantees to local government units, public water utilities or any other person, or otherwise incur any additional indebtedness, on or after June 30, 2033.

d. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to the contrary, the trust may receive funds from any source including, without limitation, any funds drawn by the trust from a revolving line of credit or other similar financial vehicle that may be procured by the trust, either through a competitive or negotiated process, pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-5), for deposit into the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund or the trust may issue its bonds, notes or other obligations, including commercial paper issued through a competitive or negotiated process, in any principal amounts, in either case, as in the judgment of the trust shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds to finance or refinance short-term or temporary loans to local government units, public water utilities or private persons for any wastewater treatment system projects included on the Department of Environmental Protection project priority list and eligible for approval pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20) or water supply projects included on the Department of Environmental Protection project priority list and eligible for approval pursuant to section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1), as applicable, without regard to any other provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), including, without limitation, any administrative or legislative approvals.

The trust shall create and establish a special fund to be known as the “Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund” for the short-term or temporary loan financing or refinancing program to be known as the “Interim Environmental Financing Program”. The monies in the fund shall be used for short-term or temporary loans for clean water and drinking water projects pursuant to the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program.

Except as provided in section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to this subsection may only be made in advance of the anticipated loans the trust may make and contract to make under the provisions of subsection a. of this section from any source of funds anticipated to be received by the trust. Any such short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to the Interim Environmental Financing Program shall mature no later than the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor; except a line of credit loan shall mature no later than the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the closing date of the line of credit loan or the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of construction certification following the closing date of the line of credit loan, whichever is sooner; and except a short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to this subsection for environmental planning and engineering design costs associated with long-term control plans for combined sewer overflow projects shall mature no later than the last day of the 10th succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor. The trust may make short-term or temporary loans pursuant to the Interim Environmental Financing Program to any one or more of the project sponsors, for the respective projects thereof, identified in the interim financing project priority list to be known as the “Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List” in the form provided to the Legislature by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection.

The Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List, including any revision thereof or supplement thereto, shall be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) at least once in each fiscal year as provided in section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20) and section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1). The Secretary and the Clerk shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively. The trust may revise or supplement the Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List no more than four times during the fiscal year and shall submit the revised list to the Legislature when the revisions are made. Any environmental infrastructure project or the project sponsor thereof not identified in the Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List shall not be eligible for a short-term or temporary loan from the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund. The trust may issue short-term or temporary loans pursuant to this subsection only if a project is listed on an Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List that has been submitted to the Legislature. No funds may be disbursed pursuant to this section for project activities prior to a determination and certification, in writing, from the Department of Environmental Protection, that the project activities satisfy the provisions of P.L.1985, c.332 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.).

e. Notwithstanding any provisions of the “Local Bond Law” (N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq.), the “sewerage authorities law,” P.L.1946, c.138 (C.40:14A-1 et seq.), or the “municipal and county utilities authorities law,” P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9) or section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), and the obligations issued by project sponsors to evidence such loans, may, at the discretion of the trust and upon application by the project sponsor, bear interest at a variable rate determined pursuant to a methodology as may be established by the trust from time to time.

Further, notwithstanding any provisions of the “Local Bond Law” (N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq.), the “sewerage authorities law,” P.L.1946, c.138 (C.40:14A-1 et seq.), or the “municipal and county utilities authorities law,” P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9) or section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), and any notes or other obligations issued by project sponsors to evidence such short-term or temporary loans, except for loans for environmental planning and engineering design costs associated with long-term control plans for combined sewer overflow projects as provided in subsection d. of this section, shall mature no later than the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of issuance of such notes or other obligations, without payment by project sponsors of any portion of the principal thereof prior to maturity.

f. Any balances remaining in the Emergency Loan Fund established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2007, c.138 (C.58:11B-9.1), the Planning and Design Fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.59 (C.58:11B-9.2), the Onsite Wastewater Disposal Loan Fund established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2009, c.103 (C.58:11B-9.3), the Supplemental Loan Fund established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2011, c.94 (C.58:11B-9.4), and the Equipment Loan Fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2014, c.28 (C.58:11B-9.6) after the date of enactment of P.L.2016, c.30 shall be transferred to the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund, and any loan repayments to the trust of principal and interest or premium on loans made from those funds shall be credited to the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund.

g. The trust shall create and establish a special fund to be known as the “Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund” for the short-term or temporary loan financing or refinancing program to be known as the “Interim Transportation Financing Program.”

Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to the contrary, the trust may receive funds from any source including, without limitation, any funds drawn by the trust from a revolving line of credit or other similar financial vehicle that may be procured by the trust, either through a competitive or negotiated process, pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-5), for deposit into the Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund or the trust may issue its bonds, notes or other obligations in any principal amounts, in either case, as in the judgment of the trust shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds to finance or refinance short-term or temporary loans to local government units or private persons for any transportation project included on the Department of Transportation Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List for the ensuing fiscal year and eligible for approval pursuant to sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), without regard to any other provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), including, without limitation, any administrative or legislative approvals.

Any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to this subsection may only be made in advance of the anticipated loans the trust may make and contract to make under the provisions of subsection a. of this section from any source of funds anticipated to be received by the trust. Any such short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to the Interim Transportation Financing Program shall mature no later than the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor ; except a line of credit loan shall mature no later than the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the closing date of the line of credit loan or the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of construction certification following the closing date of the line of credit loan, whichever is sooner. The trust may make short-term or temporary loans pursuant to the Interim Transportation Financing Program to any one or more of the project sponsors, for the respective projects thereof, only if a project is identified in the Department of Transportation Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List to be known as the “Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List” in the form provided to the Legislature by the Commissioner of Transportation.

The Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List, including any revision thereof or supplement thereto, shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly on or before July 1 of each year. The Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List shall be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) at least once in each fiscal year. The Secretary and the Clerk shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively. Any transportation infrastructure project or the project sponsor thereof not identified in the Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List shall not be eligible for a short-term or temporary loan from the Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund. The trust may revise or supplement the Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Eligibility List no more than four times during the fiscal year, and shall submit the revised list to the Legislature when the revisions are made.

No funds may be disbursed pursuant to this subsection for project activities prior to the determination and certification in writing, from the Department of Transportation, that the project activities satisfy the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4).

(cf: P.L.2017, c.144, s.3)

4. Section 34 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.4) is amended to read as follows:

34. a. There is established in the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank a special fund to be known as the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund. The monies in the fund shall only be used for projects funded by the New Jersey Transportation Infrastructure Financing Program. There shall be established within the fund, two subaccounts: (1) a federally-funded subaccount that shall be approved to receive federal funds and related State matching funds pursuant to the federal infrastructure bank program provided for in section 350 of Pub.L.104-59 and Pub.L.102-240 as amended or superseded, and (2) a State-funded subaccount that shall be approved to receive only State funds in excess of those required to be deposited in the federally-funded subaccount. The State-funded subaccount shall be ineligible to receive any federal funds. However, funds in the State-funded subaccount shall be eligible for transfer into the federally-funded subaccount in the discretion of the trust for the purpose of related match funding of the federally-funded subaccount.

The State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund shall be credited with:

(1) (a) State and federal funds appropriated to a federal subaccount of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund pursuant to the federal infrastructure bank program provided for in section 350 of Pub.L.104-59 and Pub.L.102-240 as amended or superseded, and

(b) State funds in excess of any minimum State match required under the federal infrastructure bank program, appropriated to the State-funded subaccount of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund;

(2) monetary donations made available to the State to support the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund;

(3) moneys received as repayment of the principal of and the interest or premium on loans made from the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund;

(4) any interest earnings received on the moneys in the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund; and

(5) such other moneys as the Legislature may appropriate to the trust for deposit into the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund at any time to finance or refinance transportation loans issued from the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund.

b. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4) to the contrary, all moneys placed into the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund shall be held separate from other funds of the trust, and no transportation funds shall be combined or comingled with any funds that finance (1) wastewater treatment system projects, (2) water supply projects, or (3) other environmental infrastructure projects, that are not transportation projects.

c. All moneys placed into the State-funded subaccount of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund shall be held separate from any federal funds provided for the federally-funded subaccount of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund.

d. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4) to the contrary, the trust may provide loans or other assistance to one or more local government units or consortia thereof for the purpose of financing all or a portion of the costs incurred for the planning, acquisition, engineering, construction, reconstruction, repair, and rehabilitation of a transportation project, provided that monies from the federally-funded subaccount are limited to the purposes permitted under the federal infrastructure bank program.

e. In addition to the financing described in subsection d. of this section, a portion, not to exceed 10 percent, of the assistance provided from the State-funded sub-account of the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund may be issued in the form of grants.

f. Loans or other assistance granted pursuant to this section shall be considered an investment or reinvestment by the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund, provided that monies from the federally-funded subaccount are limited to the purposes permitted under the federal infrastructure bank program, and not a loan within the meaning of section 12 of P.L.1995, c.108 (C.27:1B-21.5).

g. The refinancing of debt relating to an existing transportation project shall not be an eligible form of assistance from the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund, and a loan shall not be granted unless the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the trust that the assistance being sought is not for the refinancing of debt relating to an existing transportation project.

h. Any project, the use or purpose of which is private and for which no public benefit is created, shall not be eligible for financial assistance from the trust.

i. The trust shall consider the following factors when setting an interest rate on a loan provided pursuant to this section: (1) the current market rates for comparable obligations; (2) the nature of the project; (3) the financing structure of the project; (4) the creditworthiness of the borrower; and (5) the term of the proposed obligation.

j. The long term loan repayment schedule for each project shall require: (1) the repayment of the loan commencing six months after construction completion, the date the facility has opened to traffic, or three years after execution of the long term financing obligation, whichever is first, however, in the case of a highway project, it shall be whichever is later; and (2) a final maturity date of not more than [35] 31 years following the completion of the project.

k. The trust may establish or direct the establishment of federal and State accounts or subaccounts as may be necessary to meet any applicable federal law requirements or desirable for the efficient administration of the trust.

(cf: P.L.2017, c.144, s.7)

5. Section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1) is amended to read as follows:

24. a. (1) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall for each fiscal year develop a priority system for water supply projects and shall establish the ranking criteria and funding policies for the water supply projects to be financed by the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program. The commissioner shall set forth an Interim Drinking Water Financing Program Project Priority List, hereinafter referred to as the “drinking water project priority list,” for funding by the trust for each fiscal year and shall include the aggregate amount of funds of the trust to be authorized for these purposes. The commissioner may include a water supply project on the drinking water project priority list if it is eligible for funding under the “Water Supply Bond Act of 1981,” P.L.1981, c.261, as amended, meets the eligibility requirements for funding pursuant to the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996,” Pub.L.104-182, or , in the case of a water supply project for the reduction of lead in a publicly-owned facility, the project meets the eligibility requirements established by the Department of Environmental Protection for those projects. The drinking water project priority list shall include a description of each project and an explanation of the manner in which priorities were established. The priority system and drinking water project priority list for the ensuing fiscal year shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly on or before January 15 of each year. The Secretary and the Clerk shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively. Incremental revisions or supplements to the drinking water project priority list may be submitted to the Legislature as provided in subsection d. of section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9).

(2) The commissioner shall set forth a drinking water project eligibility list for long-term funding by the trust and shall include the aggregate amount of funds to be authorized for these purposes. The drinking water project eligibility list shall consist of drinking water project priority list projects certified by the department that have commenced construction and demonstrated a high likelihood of construction completion on or before the end of the ensuing fiscal year. On or before May 15 of each year, the trust shall submit the drinking water project eligibility list for the ensuing fiscal year, including any revision thereof or supplement thereto, to be introduced in each House in the form of legislative appropriations bills, which shall be referred to the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, or their successors, for their respective consideration. On or before October 15 of each year the trust may submit an additional drinking water project eligibility list, to be introduced in each House in the form of legislative appropriations bills, which shall be referred to the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, or their successors, for their respective consideration.

b. The Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee shall, either individually or jointly, consider the legislation containing the drinking water project eligibility list, and shall report the legislation, together with any modifications, out of committee for consideration by each House of the Legislature. On or before July 1 of each year, the Legislature shall approve an appropriations act containing the drinking water project eligibility list, including any amendatory or supplementary provisions thereto, which act shall include the authorization of an aggregate amount of funds of the trust to be expended for long-term loans and guarantees for the specific water supply projects, including the individual amounts therefor, on the list.

c. The trust shall not expend any money for a long-term loan or guarantee during a fiscal year for any water supply project unless the expenditure is authorized pursuant to an appropriations act as provided in the provisions of this section, or as otherwise set forth in an appropriations act.

d. The trust shall submit to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly on or before January 15 of each year a report which shall identify the water supply projects financed during the prior fiscal year, including a project description, the amount of the loan provided for each project, and the duration of each loan.

(cf: P.L.2017, c.144, s.9)

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would make certain changes to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank’s (NJIB) enabling legislation.

Specifically, the bill would provide that each bond, note, or other obligation issued by the NJIB for a combined sewer overflow project would mature not later than 45 years from the effective date thereof, as opposed to the typical 30 years for other environmental infrastructure projects. This change would allow municipalities to obtain less expensive financing for these very large and expensive projects. The change also reflects the fact that combined sewer overflow projects typically have a longer useful life than other environmental infrastructure projects.

The bill also would provide that a line of credit loan for an environmental infrastructure project or transportation infrastructure project would mature no later than: (1) the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the closing date of the line of credit loan; or (2) the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of construction certification following the closing date of the line of credit loan, whichever is sooner. The existing three-year short-term loan often is not long enough for projects that seek to finance both planning and design activities and construction. Construction, by itself, often takes three years. This change would increase the term of the short-term loans for up-to an additional two years for projects that seek to finance both construction and planning and design activities.

The bill provides that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection may include on the drinking water project priority list required pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1985, c.334 any project that is eligible for funding under the “Water Supply Bond Act of 1981,” P.L.1981, c.261. Currently, certain projects, such as lead line replacement in private residences and reservoir repair, cannot be included on the project priority list because they may not meet federal eligibility requirements. The change proposed in this bill would allow the commissioner to include such projects on the project priority list and finance them, in part, with 1981 bond act proceeds.

Finally, the bill would clarify in existing law that the long-term loan repayment schedule for each transportation infrastructure project requires a final maturity date of not more than 31 years following completion of the project.