An Act appropriating $13,640,000 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to provide grants to assist qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit organizations to acquire, develop, or conduct planning activities related to, lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purposes of this section:
“Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund” means the fund established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19).
“Green Acres bond act” means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.
“Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund” means the fund established pursuant to section 6 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48).
“Stewardship activity” means the same as the term is defined in section 3 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-45).
b. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $11,959,000 from the dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the “Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,” established pursuant to section 6 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), for the purpose of providing grants to assist qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to subsection c. of this section, to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to subsection d. of this section, and to undertake stewardship activities pursuant to subsection e. of this section.
c. The following projects for the acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to subsection b. of this section:
Nonprofit Project County Municipality Approved
Organization Amount
(1) D & R Greenway Land Trust Greenway Acquisitions Burlington Beverly City $1,136,000
Bordentown City
Bordentown Twp
Burlington City
Burlington Twp
Chesterfield Twp
Cinnaminson Twp
Delanco Twp
Delran Twp
Edgewater Park Twp
Fieldsboro Boro
Florence Twp
Hainesport Twp
Mansfield Twp
Maple Shade Twp
Moorestown Twp
Mount Holly Twp
Mount Laurel Twp
Palmyra Boro
Riverside Twp
Riverton Boro
Springfield Twp
Westampton Twp
Willingboro Twp
Camden Audubon Boro
Audubon Park Boro
Brooklawn Boro
Camden City
Cherry Hill Twp
Collingswood Boro
Gloucester City
Haddon Heights Boro
Haddon Twp
Haddonfield Boro
Merchantville Boro
Mount Ephraim Boro
Oaklyn Boro
Pennsauken Twp
Woodlynne Boro
Cumberland Deerfield Twp
Fairfield Twp
Greenwich Twp
Hopewell Twp
Stow Creek Twp
Upper Deerfield Twp
Gloucester National Park Boro
West Deptford Twp
Westville Boro
Hunterdon All municipalities
Mercer All municipalities
Middlesex All municipalities
Monmouth All municipalities
Morris All municipalities
Salem Elsinboro Twp
Lower Alloways
Creek Twp
Mannington Twp
Pennsville Twp
Somerset All municipalities
(2) Hunterdon Land Trust Hunterdon Open Space Hunterdon All municipalities $286,000
Plan Priority Areas
(3) Lamington Conservancy Central Lamington Project Hunterdon Readington Twp $450,000
Tewksbury Twp
Morris Chester Twp
Washington Twp
Somerset Bedminster Twp
Peapack-Gladstone
Boro
(4) New Jersey Conservation Priority Area Acquisitions Atlantic Buena Vista Twp $3,080,000
Foundation Egg Harbor City
Egg Harbor Twp
Estell Manor City
Folsom Boro
Galloway Twp
Hamilton Twp
Hammonton Town
Mullica Twp
Weymouth Twp
Burlington Bass River Twp
Beverly City
Bordentown City
Bordentown Twp
Burlington City
Burlington Twp
Chesterfield Twp
Cinnaminson Twp
Delanco Twp
Delran Twp
Evesham Twp
Fieldsboro Boro
Florence Twp
Mansfield Twp
Medford Twp
New Hanover Twp
North Hanover Twp
Pemberton Twp
Shamong Twp
Southampton Twp
Springfield Twp
Tabernacle Twp
Washington Twp
Woodland Twp
Camden Camden City
Merchantville Boro
Pennsauken Twp
Cape May Lower Twp
Middle Twp
Cumberland Fairfield Twp
Greenwich Twp
Hopewell Twp
Maurice River Twp
Millville City
Stow Creek Twp
Upper Deerfield Twp
Vineland City
Gloucester Franklin Twp
Logan Twp
South Harrison Twp
Woolwich Twp
Hunterdon All municipalities
Mercer East Windsor Twp
Ewing Twp
Hamilton Twp
Hightstown Boro
Hopewell Twp
Lawrence Twp
Trenton City
Princeton Boro
Robbinsville Twp
West Windsor Twp
Middlesex Cranbury Twp
Edison Twp
Monmouth Allentown Boro
Millstone Twp
Upper Freehold Twp
Morris All municipalities
Ocean Lacey Twp
Ocean Twp
Plumsted Twp
Passaic West Milford Twp
Salem Alloway Twp
Carneys Point Twp
Elmer Boro
Elsinboro Twp
Lower Alloways Creek Twp
Mannington Twp
Oldmans Twp
Pennsville Twp
Pilesgrove Twp
Pittsgove Twp
Quinton Twp
Upper Pittsgrove Twp
Woodstown Boro
Somerset Bedminster Twp
Bernards Twp
Bernardsville Boro
Branchburg Twp
Bridgewater Twp
Far Hills Boro
Hillsborough Twp
Montgomery Twp
Peapack-Gladstone Boro
Raritan Boro
Sussex Andover Twp
Byram Twp
Frankford Twp
Green Twp
Hampton Twp
Hopatcong Boro
Sparta Twp
Vernon Twp
Wantage Twp
Union Elizabeth City
Linden City
Springfield Twp
Union Twp
Warren Allamuchy Twp
Blairstown Twp
Franklin Twp
Frelinghuysen Twp
Greenwich Twp
Hardwick Twp
Harmony Twp
Hope Twp
Independence Twp
Knowlton Twp
Liberty Twp
Lopatcong Twp
Mansfield Twp
Oxford Twp
Pohatcong Twp
Washington Twp
White Twp
(5) Raritan Headwaters Raritan Headwaters Hunterdon Alexandria Twp $1,259,000
Association Acquisitions Bethlehem Twp
Califon Boro
Clinton Town
Clinton Twp
Delaware Twp
East Amwell Twp
Flemington Boro
Franklin Twp
Glen Gardener Boro
Hampton Twp
High Bridge Boro
Lebanon Boro
Lebanon Twp
Raritan Twp
Readington Twp
Tewksbury Twp
Union Twp
West Amwell Twp
Morris Chester Boro
Chester Twp
Mine Hill Twp
Mendham Boro
Mendham Twp
Mt. Arlington Twp
Mt. Olive Twp
Randolph Twp
Roxbury Twp
Washington Twp
Somerset Bedminster Twp
Bernards Twp
Bernardsville Boro
Branchburg Twp
Bridgewater Twp
Far Hills Boro
Hillsborough Twp
Peapack-Gladstone Boro
Raritan Boro
(6) Ridge and Valley Open Space Sussex Andover Boro $69,000
Conservancy Conservation Plan Andover Twp
Frankford Twp
Fredon Twp
Green Twp
Hampton Twp
Hardyston Twp
Lafayette Twp
Sandyston Twp
Sparta Twp
Stillwater Twp
Wantage Twp
Warren Allamuchy Twp
Blairstown Twp
Frelinghuysen Twp
Hardwick Twp
Hope Twp
Knowlton Twp
Mansfield Twp
White Twp
(7) Tewksbury Land Trust Land Acquisition Hunterdon Tewksbury Twp $1,616,000
(8) Woodland Wildlife Preserving a Hunterdon Alexandria Twp $450,000
Refuge, Inc. Wildlife Heritage
TOTAL $8,346,000
d. The following projects
for the development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes are
eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to subsection b. of
this section:
Nonprofit Project County Municipality Approved
Organization Amount
Branch Brook Park Alliance Branch Brook Essex Newark City $1,082,000
Park Improvements
Essex County Parks Foundation Mills Reservation Essex Cedar Grove Twp $1,051,000
Improvements
TOTAL $2,133,000
e. The following stewardship activity projects are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to subsection b. of this section:
Nonprofit Project County Municipality Approved
Organization Amount
Friends of West Windsor Moses Tunda Mercer West Windsor Twp $268,000
Open Space Tatamy Trail
Friends of Passaic Schuyler-Colfax Historic Passaic Wayne Twp $270,000
County Parks Landscape Restoration
Duke Farms Foundation Farm Barn Area Somerset Hillsborough Twp $543,000
Restoration Initiative
PEACE NJ Restoring Riparian Warren Hackettstown Town $399,000
Habitat and River Access
TOTAL $1,480,000
f. Any transfer of any funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in subsection c., d., or e. of this section shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.
g. To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in subsection c., d., or e. of this section are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.
h. There is reappropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the unexpended balances, due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, of the amounts appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund to assist qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the purposes of: (1) this section; and (2) providing additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor. Any such additional funding provided from a Green Acres bond act may include administrative costs.
2. There is appropriated to the Department of
Environmental Protection the sum of $681,000 from dedicated corporation
business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the
State Constitution in the “Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,” established
pursuant to section 6 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12
(C.13:8C-48), for paying administrative costs associated with administering the
applicable provisions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
3. There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $1,000,000 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the “Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,” established pursuant to section 6 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), to establish a Planning Grant program, the purpose of which shall be to provide matching grants to nonprofit organizations to fund the preparation of plans and other activities necessary to identify needs and opportunities for additional recreation and conservation initiatives in the State. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection e. of section 6 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48) or any other law to the contrary, the distribution of grant funds pursuant to this section shall not require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee.
4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the “Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,” established pursuant to section 6 of the “Preserve New Jersey Act,” P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), the sum of $13,640,000 to implement the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Approved December 19, 2025.