STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3283

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator GREENSTEIN)

ADOPTED: DECEMBER 21, 2023

      These floor amendments would:

      (1)  add definitions of “board,” “department,” “public water system”, and “system owner and operator” to the bill;

      (2)  require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Drinking Water Quality Institute, to establish a definition of the term “microplastics,” and a standard methodology to be used by public water systems in the testing of drinking water for microplastics;

      (3)  clarify language regarding requirements for public water systems to test and report concentrations of microplastics in drinking water for four years and adopt criteria to accredit laboratories in New Jersey to analyze microplastics;

      (4)   add a new section to the bill to require the DEP and the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to commence a study to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of the use of microplastics removal technologies by system owners or operators to remove microplastics from drinking water and wastewater in the State;

      (5)  require the DEP and BPU to authorize system owners or operators in the State to engage in pilot microplastics removal projects, with associated pilot project data to be included in the study;

      (6)  require the DEP and BPU to engage in a public education and awareness campaign on the threats posed by microplastics, the importance of removing microplastics from drimkig water and wastewater, and the technologies available for that purpose; and

      (7)  establish incentive programs to increase the use of microplastic removal technologies by public water  systems.