The Senate Environment and Energy Committee will meet remotely on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at 10 a.m. to take testimony from experts and interested parties on the topics of forest stewardship and prescribed burning, and the role humans should play in managing the State’s forests.
Due to the public health emergency, the State House Annex remains closed to visitors. The public may not attend the Committee meeting in person but may view and participate in the meeting via the New Jersey Legislature home page at https: / / www.njleg.state.nj.us / .
The Committee will take oral testimony on bills, by telephone and video. If you are interested in registering your position with the Committee, please fill out the Registration Form located on the New Jersey Legislature Home Page under the applicable Committee heading. For those individuals who wish to testify, please check the box “Do you wish to testify?” on the Registration Form. Instructions for testifying before the Committee will be forwarded to you after you submit your Registration Form. The form must be submitted by 3:00 PM on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
The public may also submit written testimony electronically in lieu of oral testimony. Written testimony will be included in the Committee record and distributed to all the Committee members. Written testimony should be submitted to OLSAideSEN@njleg.org.
FOR DISCUSSION ONLY:
S2001 (Smith / Bateman) – Establishes forest stewardship program for State-owned lands.
S3547 (Smith) – Establishes working group to evaluate coordination and cooperation between various government entities and private landowners with respect to forest stewardship in pinelands area.
S3548 (Smith) – Sets minimum acreage goal and schedule for prescribed burns in pinelands area and Statewide.
S3549 (Smith) – Requires forest stewardship plan for certain lands acquired for recreation and conservation purposes.
S3550 (Smith) – Provides that municipal approval is not required for forest stewardship plans.
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