SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2840

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 13, 2025

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2840.

     This bill would direct the Department of Environmental Protection to lift certain conservation easements imposed on a parcel of real property as a condition of a permit award issued under the "Coastal Area Facility Review Act," P.L.1973, c.185 (C.13:19-1 et seq.) (CAFRA), under certain conditions.  Specifically, the bill would require that:  (1) the parcel of real property is needed, and would be used for, the physical expansion of an existing school for special needs children; and (2) a substantively similar conservation restriction would be imposed on a parcel of real property that is at least twice the size of, and located no more than 20 miles from, the original property.