13:1D-52. Conditions for conveyance of lands; fees

2. a. No lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, or any agency of the department, may be conveyed unless the department first:

(1) Prepares a report identifying the reasons for, and all advantages and disadvantages and benefits and detriments of, the proposed conveyance; assessing the environmental and recreational impact of that proposed conveyance, including, but not limited to, the impact on endangered species and nongame species as defined and regulated pursuant to P.L.1973, c.309 (C.23:2A-1 et seq.), and endangered plant species as defined and regulated pursuant to P.L.1989, c.56 (C.13:1B-15.151 et seq.); and assessing the environmental and economic value of the lands proposed to be conveyed under both their current and proposed uses;

(2) Transmits the report required to be prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection at least 30 days in advance of the date of the first scheduled public hearing required pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection to the chairpersons of the Senate Environment Committee, the Senate State Government Committee, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Assembly Environment Committee, the Assembly State Government Committee, and the Assembly Appropriations Committee, or the successors of those committees as designated by the President of the Senate for the Senate committees and by the Speaker of the General Assembly for the Assembly committees, and to the State House Commission;

(3) Makes the report required to be prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection available upon request, at no cost or at the cost of reproduction, to the public at least 30 days in advance of the date of the first scheduled public hearing required pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection, and at each of the two public hearings;

(4) In addition to any other applicable requirements of law, rule, or regulation, conducts two public hearings on the proposed conveyance at least 14 days apart and at least 90 days in advance of the date on which the proposed conveyance is scheduled to be considered by the State House Commission, or, if review by the State House Commission is not required under law, than at least 90 days in advance of the date of the proposed conveyance. Of the two public hearings, one shall be held in the City of Trenton, Mercer county, and the other in the municipality wherein the lands proposed to be conveyed are located or, if that is not practicable, in a municipality as close thereto as can reasonably be arranged. At each such hearing, the department shall explain the proposed conveyance and indicate the consideration to be received by the State for agreeing to the proposed conveyance.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, in the case of a minor conveyance, a public hearing shall be held in accordance with this subsection in the municipality wherein the lands proposed to be conveyed are located or, if that is not practicable, in a municipality as close thereto as can reasonably be arranged, but no second public hearing in the City of Trenton need be held as otherwise required pursuant to this subsection. Any subsequent conveyance or proposed conveyance involving lands contiguous to those considered under the minor conveyance exception of this paragraph shall not be considered a minor conveyance for the purposes of this amendatory and supplementary act, notwithstanding that the conveyance or proposed conveyance may otherwise meet the definition of a minor conveyance as set forth in section 1 of this amendatory and supplementary act.

b. The department may assess and collect a reasonable fee from any person to whom lands may be conveyed pursuant to this amendatory and supplementary act, which fee shall cover the administrative and any other costs incurred by the department in complying with the provisions and requirements of this amendatory and supplementary act. The fee shall be payable whether or not the lands are in fact eventually conveyed to such person.

L.1993,c.38,s.2.