STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.
District 9 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes conveyance of certain State-owned real property in Stafford Township and Lacey Township in Ocean County to US Fish and Wildlife Service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the conveyance of certain surplus real property owned by the State.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Since 1964, the Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Resources Administration has operated out of offices located on the property designated as Block 1301, Lot 1 on the tax map of Galloway Township, Atlantic County, which property is owned by the United States of America and administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services as part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge;
b. It is now necessary for the State to obtain ownership of the land occupied by the Marine Resources Administration in order to expend State funds to construct new offices in this location; and
c. The Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service have determined that an exchange of lands of equal real estate value is the most expeditious and efficient way for the State to acquire the land occupied by the Marine Resources Administration.
d. The Legislature therefore determines that it is appropriate and in the public interest for the Department of Environmental Protection to undertake a land exchange with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and convey certain lands in fee simple to the Service to become part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
2. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Environmental Protection is authorized to convey all of the State’s interest in the following parcels to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in fee simple, in exchange for approximately 57.37 acres of the parcel currently designated as Block 1301, Lot 1 in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, subject to minor adjustment as necessary to equalize the real estate value of the exchange:
(1) Township of Lacey, Ocean County, Block 315, part of Lot 14 and Block 315, Lot 38.01, totaling approximately 34.96 acres;
(2) Township of Lacey, Ocean County, Block 961, Lot 5, totaling approximately 31.63 acres; and
(3) Township of Stafford, Ocean County, Block 296, Lot 51, totaling approximately 152.77 acres.
b. The provisions of P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-51 et seq.) shall not apply to the sale and conveyance authorized pursuant to this section.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the conveyance of approximately 219.36 acres of State-owned land located in Lacey Township and Stafford Township, Ocean County, to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in exchange for approximately 52.27 acres of land in Galloway Township, Atlantic County. The lands to be acquired in exchange have been occupied since 1964 by the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) Marine Resources Administration and contain office buildings in need of replacement. The lands to be conveyed by the DEP to the USFWS will become part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and remain undeveloped.
This bill provides the necessary authorization for the DEP to convey the Lacey Township and Stafford Township parcels to the USFWS as of the land exchange. The bill provides that the acreages involved in the exchange may be adjusted as necessary to equalize the real estate value of the exchange.