STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2985

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator SARLO)

ADOPTED: JANUARY 7, 2010

      These floor amendments change the extension period for wastewater management planning agencies to establish or update wastewater management plans, and the validity of sewer service areas and wastewater service areas, from April 7, 2012 to April 7, 2011.  They also clarify the provision requiring the Department of Environmental Protection, during the extension period, to review and take action on changes to wastewater and water quality management plans.

      The amendments also allow a property owner to petition the department and the applicable wastewater management planning agency for a change to the sewer service area designation for the property during the extension period and, upon approval by both the department and the wastewater management planning agency, the change to the sewer service  area designation would take effect immediately. 

      Additionally, the amendments provide that, during the extension period, whenever the State, a local government unit, or a governmental entity, nonprofit organization, or landowner requests in writing of the department to decide, in consultation with the applicable wastewater management planning agency, whether a specific parcel of land will or will not be included in a sewer service area, when the State, a local government unit or qualifying nonprofit organization is contemplating the acquisition of a specific parcel of land for recreation, conservation, or farmland preservation purposes.

      Finally, these amendments delete language requiring the State Planning Commission to review sewer service area mapping and other information provided by the department to wastewater management planning agencies in connection with the creation of a wastewater management plan.

      These amendments would make the bill identical to A4345(2R).