|
Over the past several years, the New Jersey legislature has appropriated $5.3 million to the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Agriculture for technical and financial assistance grants to farmers who develop and implement conservation plans that incorporate agricultural BMPs to control nonpoint source pollution. Direct state cost-share funding assistance is pooled with federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program cost-share funds and made available to farmers based on potential environmental benefit.
In June 1999 New Jersey's governor signed the Garden State Preservation Trust Act, which will enable the state to preserve 1 million acres of open space over the next 10 years (by 2010). In 1998 New Jersey residents voted to amend the New Jersey constitution to provide a stable source of funding to acquire and preserve open space, farmland, and historic sites around the state. The amendment dedicates $98 million annually for 10 years to preservation efforts and authorizes the issuance of up to $1 billion in revenue bonds. For more information on the Garden State Preservation Trust Act, see www.state.nj.us/ dep/greenacres/ preservation.htm. 
New Jersey's DEP has received $5 million each fiscal year from State Corporate Business Tax receipts to implement watershed management and nonpoint source pollution control. Funds for nonpoint source and watershed activities have been increased to include $600,000 for each of the 20 Watershed Management Areas for a 4-year watershed planning process. For more information on New Jersey's Corporate Business Tax, see http://www.state.nj.us/ dep/watershedmgt/ financial_ resources.htm.
New Jersey's DEP awarded $1.8 million in grant funds on April 17, 2001, for the development of regional storm water management planning in four counties. Storm water plans to improve streams and water quality will be developed for five priority watersheds: the Upper Maurice River in Gloucester County; the Smithville Drainage in Atlantic County; part of the Rancocas watershed in Burlington County; and Masons Creek and Little Creek, both tributaries to the Cooper River. Additional grants totaling $740,000 are being awarded for storm water planning in the Shrewsbury and Cohansey watersheds. These funds are from the 1989 Stormwater and Combined Sewer Overflow Bond Act.
|
|
