S2792

An Act appropriating $500,000 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues and the “2009 Farmland Preservation Fund” to the State Agriculture Development Committee for municipal planning incentive grants for farmland preservation purposes.

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

1. a. There is appropriated to the State Agriculture Development Committee the sum of $500,000, in the following subtotal amounts, listed in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, for the purpose of providing a municipal planning incentive grant pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.180 (C.4:1C-43.1) and as approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to subsection b. of this section:

(1) $200,000 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues available, pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, in the “Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,” established pursuant to section 8 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50); and

(2) $300,000 from the “2009 Farmland Preservation Fund,” established pursuant to section 18 of the “Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009,” P.L.2009, c.117, made available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated funds.

b. The following municipality is eligible for funding, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Agriculture Development Committee providing for a municipal planning incentive grant program, with the monies appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section:

Municipality

Washington Twp

County

Warren

Amount of Grant

$500,000

TOTAL

$500,000

c. (1) The following municipality is eligible for funding, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Agriculture Development Committee providing for a municipal planning incentive grant program competitive grant fund, with the monies appropriated pursuant to P.L.2019, c.450 and P.L.2020, c.139:

Municipality

County

Washington Twp

Warren

(2) The maximum grant award that a municipality identified in this subsection may receive, pursuant to this section, shall be $1,000,000, including up to $500,000 in competitive funds approved pursuant to P.L.2019, c.450, and up to $500,000 in competitive funds approved pursuant to P.L.2020, c.139.

2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the “Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,” established pursuant to section 8 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50), the sum of $200,000 to implement the provisions of this act.

3. The expenditure of the sums appropriated by this act is subject to the provisions and conditions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.1999, c.180 (C.4:1C-43.1), P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), and P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-11 et seq.), as appropriate.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would appropriate $500,000 to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for a municipal planning incentive grant, pursuant to a program established by P.L.1999, c.180 (C.4:1C-43.1), for farmland preservation purposes.

Of the $500,000 provided in section 1 of the bill, $200,000 is to be provided from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues received pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, approved by the voters of New Jersey in November 2014, and $300,000 is to be provided from the “2009 Farmland Preservation Fund,” made available due to the reallocation of monies previously appropriated to the SADC. The “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), implements the constitutional dedication of CBT revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation. The “Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund” was established pursuant to section 8 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act.” The “2009 Farmland Preservation Fund” was established pursuant to section 18 of the “Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009,” P.L.2009, c.117.

Under the bill, Washington Township, in Warren County, will receive a “base grant” of $500,000, as specified in the bill. In addition, this municipality would also be eligible to compete for an additional grant from the SADC’s competitive grant fund, to be financed with monies previously appropriated to the SADC pursuant to P.L.2019, c.450 and P.L.2020, c.139. The maximum amount of such competitive grant funding award would be $1 million, including up to $500,000 in funds appropriated under P.L.2019, c.450 and up to $500,000 in funds appropriated under P.L.2020, c.139.

The allocations and projects listed in the bill have been approved by the SADC and the Garden State Preservation Trust.