SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5018

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 15, 2021

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 5018, with committee amendments.

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would direct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide additional priority points to certain applicants that seek funding for sewerage and drinking water infrastructure projects from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (I-Bank).

      Specifically, under the bill, project applicants with an established program to employ at the project facility, or at related offices or facilities, persons who reside in the municipality in which the project is located, the service area of the project, or in surrounding municipalities that meet the criteria for State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.) would receive additional priority points.  The DEP would factor these additional points into its calculations when establishing the "clean water project priority list" pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20) and the "drinking water project priority list," pursuant to section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1).

      The committee amendments make technical changes to the bill to reflect the most recent form of the law.

      As amended and reported by the committee, the bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 3314, as also amended and reported by the committee.