LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 2607
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
DATED: SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Requires land use plan element of municipal master plan to include climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment. |
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Type of Impact: |
State and local expenditure increases. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Environmental Protection and certain municipalities. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
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State Expenditure Increase |
Marginal |
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Municipal Expenditure Increase |
Marginal |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill may result in a marginal municipal expenditure increase to the State and municipal governments.
· The OLS determines that the additional requirement under the land use plan element of a municipal master plan would likely be subsumed within existing duties by members of the planning board. However, some requirements of the assessment may need specialized expertise and certain municipalities may need to hire outside consultants. The OLS notes that a re-examination of a municipal master plan is only required to be completed once every 10 years. Furthermore, this bill will only affect municipal master plans adopted after the date the bill is enacted into law.
· The Department Environmental Protection (DEP) may incur additional duties to provide technical assistance to a municipality preparing a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment. The OLS determines that this assistance can be subsumed within existing duties.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill would require that the land use plan element of a municipal master plan include a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment. The assessment would: (1) analyze current and future threats to, and vulnerabilities of, the municipality associated with climate change-related natural hazards; (2) include a build-out analysis of future residential, commercial, industrial, and other development in the municipality, and an assessment of the threats and vulnerabilities identified in (1) above related to that development; (3) identify critical facilities, utilities, roadways, and other infrastructure that is necessary for evacuation purposes and for sustaining quality of life during a natural disaster, to be maintained at all times in an operational state; (4) analyze the potential impact of natural hazards on relevant components and elements of the master plan; (5) provide strategies and design standards that may be implemented to reduce or avoid risks associated with natural hazards; (6) include a specific policy statement on the consistency, coordination, and integration of the climate-change related hazard vulnerability assessment with certain other plans adopted by the municipality; and (7) rely on the most recent natural hazard projections and best available science provided by the DEP. The bill would apply to any land use plan element adopted after the date the bill is enacted into law.
The bill would also require the DEP, upon request by a planning board, to provide technical assistance, as practicable, to a municipality preparing a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment required by the bill.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS estimates that this bill may result in a marginal expenditure increase to the DEP and municipal governments. The OLS determines that the additional requirement under the land use plan element of a municipal master plan, which is to include a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment, would most likely be subsumed within existing duties by members of the planning board. However, some requirements of the assessment may need specialized expertise and certain municipalities may need to hire outside consultants. The OLS notes that a re-examination of a municipal master plan is only required to be completed once every 10 years. Furthermore, this bill will only affect municipal master plans adopted after the date the bill is enacted into law.
The OLS notes that the DEP may incur additional duties to provide technical assistance to a municipality preparing a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment. The OLS determines that this assistance can be subsumed within existing duties.
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Section: |
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Analyst: |
Associate Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Frank W. Haines III Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).