Bateman, Corrado Appropriation Bills Clear Committee

Commit Constitutionally Dedicated Funds to Voter-Approved Projects

Legislation sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman and Senator Kristin Corrado appropriating funds for constitutionally dedicated purposes were advanced today by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

Senator Bateman’s bill, S-3227, would appropriate $3.7 million from constitutionally dedicate corporation business tax revenue to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for farmland preservation.

“New Jersey is the Garden State, and the voters have placed a value on preserving our agriculture lands and heritage,” said Bateman (R-16). “The appropriation will fund significant projects on a dozen farms in the state, ensuring that future generations will have the chance to enjoy and appreciate the contributions of agriculture to New Jersey.”

Grants provided by the bill fund up to 50 percent of the cost of development easements on farmland for preservation purposes, or up to 50 percent of the cost of acquiring fee simple titles to farmland for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the SADC.

The panel also approved money for land acquisition and conservation, and capital projects and park development on Department of Environmental Protection land.

“These are important investments that the voters endorsed for the betterment and preservation of our state,” said Corrado (R-40). “Beneficial initiatives will move forward with help from these appropriations, including the development of parks and recreation lands, and purchasing and maintaining acreage for Green Acres and Blue Acres projects.”

Corrado sponsors two of the bipartisan bills:

• S-3229 appropriates $37.16 million to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to fund capital projects and park development on land administered by DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry, and Division of Fish and Wildlife, pursuant to the Preserve New Jersey Act.
• S-3230 appropriates $30.3 million to DEP to fund state acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects for flood-prone properties.