The New Jersey Senate and Assembly wrapped up their session yesterday with a day-long marathon of party caucuses, floor debates and votes that stretched past 11 p.m.
When the tally board finally went dark, hundreds of pieces of legislation had been approved and sent to Governor Jon Corzine for his review and possible signature.
A new legislature will be sworn in today. Governor-elect Chris Christie begins his four-year term of office on January 19.
Environmental legislation that nipped across the finish line before the deadline included:
A-795 (Gusciora) Requires DEP Commissioner to establish list and recognition program for certain environmentally responsible companies.
A-1359 (Prieto) Revises “Landscape Irrigation Contractor Certification Act of 1991.”
A-3218 (McKeon) Creates Solar and Wind Energy Commission.
A-3271 (Milam) Increases civil penalties for medical waste violations and intentional ocean pollution.
A-3339 (Chivukula) Concerns on-site generation facilities.
A-3740 (DeAngelo) Provides for regulation of small wind energy systems by municipalities.
A-3852 (Scalera) Changes the scope of public notification regarding contaminated site remediation.
A-4265 (McKeon) Provides for covenant not to sue by operation of law upon issuance of no further action letter in certain circumstances relating to site remediations.
A-4293 (DeAngelo) Concerns payment of prevailing wage in certain construction undertaken with BPU financial assistance.
A-4340 (Prieto) Concerns disclosure statements and certain other requirements for licensing of solid waste and hazardous waste operations.
A-4341 (McKeon) Authorizes increased grant funding to local governments for site remediation for redevelopment of contaminated property for renewable energy projects.
A-4342 (McKeon) Requires eligible applicants for innocent party grants from “Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund” to own subject property through application process.
A-4345 (Green, J.) Extends requirement of wastewater management planning agencies to establish or update wastewater management plans, and extends validity of sewer service areas and wastewater service areas, until April 7, 2011.
A-4347 (Greenwald) Extends expiration date of certain permits pursuant to “Permit Extension Act of 2008.”
S-713 (Smith, B.) Establishes forest stewardship and forest certification programs in DEP; establishes Forest Stewardship Incentive Fund.
S-1538 (Smith, B.) Concerns biomass, solar, and wind energy generation on farms.
S-1833 (Smith, B.) Authorizes Greenwood Lake Commission to charge fees.
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