58:11B-9 Loans to local governments.

9. a. (1) The trust may make and contract to make loans to local government units, or to a local government unit on behalf of another local government unit, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of any wastewater treatment system project or water supply project, which the local government unit may lawfully undertake or acquire and for which the local government unit is authorized by law to borrow money.

(2) The trust may make and contract to make loans to public water utilities, or to any other person or local government unit on behalf of a public water utility, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of any water supply project, which the public water utility may lawfully undertake or acquire.

(3) The trust may make and contract to make loans to private persons other than local government units, or to any other person or local government unit on behalf of a private person, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to finance the cost of stormwater management systems.

(4) The trust may make and contract to make loans and provide other assistance to a local government unit or consortia thereof to finance the cost of transportation projects pursuant to sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), and provided that the federally-funded subaccount is operated in accordance with the provisions of the federal infrastructure bank program.

The loans may be made subject to those terms and conditions as the trust shall determine to be consistent with the purposes thereof. Each loan by the trust and the terms and conditions thereof shall be subject to approval by the State Treasurer, and the trust shall make available to the State Treasurer all information, statistical data and reports of independent consultants or experts as the State Treasurer shall deem necessary in order to evaluate the loan. Each loan to a local government unit, public water utility or any other person shall be evidenced by notes, bonds or other obligations thereof issued to the trust. In the case of each local government unit, notes and bonds to be issued to the trust and, if applicable, the State, acting by and through the Department of Environmental Protection, by the local government unit (1) shall be authorized and issued as provided by law for the issuance of notes and bonds by the local government unit, (2) notwithstanding any provisions of the "Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law," P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-1 et seq.) to the contrary, shall be approved by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, and (3) notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.40A:2-27, N.J.S.40A:2-28 and N.J.S.40A:2-29 or any other provisions of law to the contrary, may be sold at private sale to the trust or the State, as the case may be, at any price, whether or not less than par value, and shall be subject to redemption prior to maturity at any times and at any prices as the trust or the State, as the case may be, and local government units may agree. Each loan to a local government unit, public water utility or any other person and the notes, bonds or other obligations thereby issued shall bear interest at a rate or rates per annum as the trust or the State, as the case may be, and the local government unit, public water utility or any other person, as the case may be, may agree.

b. The trust is authorized to guarantee or contract to guarantee the payment of all or any portion of the principal and interest on bonds, notes or other obligations issued by a local government unit to finance the cost of any wastewater treatment system project, water supply project, or transportation project which the local government unit may lawfully undertake or acquire and for which the local government unit is authorized by law to borrow money, and the guarantee shall constitute an obligation of the trust for the purposes of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4). Each guarantee by the trust and the terms and conditions thereof shall be subject to approval by the State Treasurer, and the trust shall make available to the State Treasurer all information, statistical data and reports of independent consultants or experts as the State Treasurer shall deem necessary in order to evaluate the guarantee.

c. The trust shall not make or contract to make any loans or guarantees to local government units, public water utilities or any other person, or otherwise incur any additional indebtedness, on or after June 30, 2033.

d. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to the contrary, the trust may receive funds from any source including, without limitation, any funds drawn by the trust from a revolving line of credit or other similar financial vehicle that may be procured by the trust, either through a competitive or negotiated process, pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-5), for deposit into the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund or the trust may issue its bonds, notes or other obligations, including commercial paper issued through a competitive or negotiated process, in any principal amounts, in either case, as in the judgment of the trust shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds to finance or refinance short-term or temporary loans to local government units, public water utilities or private persons for any wastewater treatment system projects included on the Department of Environmental Protection project priority list and eligible for approval pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20) or water supply projects included on the Department of Environmental Protection project priority list and eligible for approval pursuant to section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1), as applicable, without regard to any other provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), including, without limitation, any administrative or legislative approvals.

The trust shall create and establish a special fund to be known as the "Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund" for the short-term or temporary loan financing or refinancing program to be known as the "Interim Environmental Financing Program." The monies in the fund shall be used for short-term or temporary loans for clean water and drinking water projects pursuant to the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program.

Except as provided in section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to this subsection may only be made in advance of the anticipated loans the trust may make and contract to make under the provisions of subsection a. of this section from any source of funds anticipated to be received by the trust. Any such short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to the Interim Environmental Financing Program shall mature no later than the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor; except a line of credit loan shall mature no later than the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the closing date of the line of credit loan or the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of construction certification following the closing date of the line of credit loan, whichever is sooner; and except a short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to this subsection for environmental planning and engineering design costs associated with long-term control plans for combined sewer overflow projects shall mature no later than the last day of the 10th succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor. The trust may make short-term or temporary loans pursuant to the Interim Environmental Financing Program to any one or more of the project sponsors, for the respective projects thereof, identified in the interim financing project priority list to be known as the "Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List" in the form provided to the Legislature by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection.

The Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List, including any revision thereof or supplement thereto, shall be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) at least once in each fiscal year as provided in section 20 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-20) and section 24 of P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-20.1). The Secretary and the Clerk shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively. The trust may revise or supplement the Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List no more than four times during the fiscal year and shall submit the revised list to the Legislature when the revisions are made. Any environmental infrastructure project or the project sponsor thereof not identified in the Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List shall not be eligible for a short-term or temporary loan from the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund. The trust may issue short-term or temporary loans pursuant to this subsection only if a project is listed on an Interim Environmental Financing Program Project Priority List that has been submitted to the Legislature. No funds may be disbursed pursuant to this section for project activities prior to a determination and certification, in writing, from the Department of Environmental Protection, that the project activities satisfy the provisions of P.L.1985, c.332 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.).

e. Notwithstanding any provisions of the "Local Bond Law" (N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq.), the "sewerage authorities law," P.L.1946, c.138 (C.40:14A-1 et seq.), or the "municipal and county utilities authorities law," P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9) or section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), and the obligations issued by project sponsors to evidence such loans, may, at the discretion of the trust and upon application by the project sponsor, bear interest at a variable rate determined pursuant to a methodology as may be established by the trust from time to time.

Further, notwithstanding any provisions of the "Local Bond Law" (N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq.), the "sewerage authorities law," P.L.1946, c.138 (C.40:14A-1 et seq.), or the "municipal and county utilities authorities law," P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-9) or section 1 of P.L.2013, c.93 (C.58:11B-9.5), and any notes or other obligations issued by project sponsors to evidence such short-term or temporary loans, except for loans for environmental planning and engineering design costs associated with long-term control plans for combined sewer overflow projects as provided in subsection d. of this section, shall mature no later than the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the date of issuance of such notes or other obligations, without payment by project sponsors of any portion of the principal thereof prior to maturity.

f. Any balances remaining in the Emergency Loan Fund established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2007, c.138 (C.58:11B-9.1), the Planning and Design Fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.59 (C.58:11B-9.2), the Onsite Wastewater Disposal Loan Fund established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2009, c.103 (C.58:11B-9.3), the Supplemental Loan Fund established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2011, c.94 (C.58:11B-9.4), and the Equipment Loan Fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2014, c.28 (C.58:11B-9.6) after the date of enactment of P.L.2016, c.30 shall be transferred to the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund, and any loan repayments to the trust of principal and interest or premium on loans made from those funds shall be credited to the Interim Environmental Financing Program Fund.

g. The trust shall create and establish a special fund to be known as the "Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund" for the short-term or temporary loan financing or refinancing program to be known as the "Interim Transportation Financing Program."

Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.) or P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.) to the contrary, the trust may receive funds from any source including, without limitation, any funds drawn by the trust from a revolving line of credit or other similar financial vehicle that may be procured by the trust, either through a competitive or negotiated process, pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-5), for deposit into the Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund or the trust may issue its bonds, notes or other obligations in any principal amounts, in either case, as in the judgment of the trust shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds to finance or refinance short-term or temporary loans to local government units or private persons for any transportation project included on the Department of Transportation Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List for the ensuing fiscal year and eligible for approval pursuant to sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), without regard to any other provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4), including, without limitation, any administrative or legislative approvals.

Any short-term or temporary loans made by the trust pursuant to this subsection may only be made in advance of the anticipated loans the trust may make and contract to make under the provisions of subsection a. of this section from any source of funds anticipated to be received by the trust. Any such short-term or temporary loan made pursuant to the Interim Transportation Financing Program shall mature no later than the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the closing date on which the short-term or temporary loan was made by the trust to the project sponsor ; except a line of credit loan shall mature no later than the last day of the fifth succeeding fiscal year following the closing date of the line of credit loan or the last day of the third succeeding fiscal year following the date of construction certification following the closing date of the line of credit loan, whichever is sooner. The trust may make short-term or temporary loans pursuant to the Interim Transportation Financing Program to any one or more of the project sponsors, for the respective projects thereof, only if a project is identified in the Department of Transportation Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List to be known as the "Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List" in the form provided to the Legislature by the Commissioner of Transportation.

The Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List, including any revision thereof or supplement thereto, shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly on or before July 1 of each year. The Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List shall be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) at least once in each fiscal year. The Secretary and the Clerk shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively. Any transportation infrastructure project or the project sponsor thereof not identified in the Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Priority List shall not be eligible for a short-term or temporary loan from the Interim Transportation Financing Program Fund. The trust may revise or supplement the Interim Transportation Financing Program Project Eligibility List no more than four times during the fiscal year, and shall submit the revised list to the Legislature when the revisions are made.

No funds may be disbursed pursuant to this subsection for project activities prior to written notification of award concurrence from the Department of Transportation and certification in writing, from the trust, that the project activities satisfy the provisions of P.L.1985, c.334 (C.58:11B-1 et seq.), P.L.1997, c.224 (C.58:11B-10.1 et al.), or sections 22 and 34 through 38 of P.L.2016, c.56 (C.58:11B-10.3 through C.58:11B-10.5, C.58:11B-20.2, C.58:11B-22.3, and C.58:11B-22.4).

L.1985, c.334, s.9; amended 1997, c.224, s.9; 1999, c.175, s.3; 2001, c.223, s.4; 2004, c.111, s.3; 2006, c.69, s.2; 2007, c.138, s.3; 2008, c.69, s.2; 2009, c.59, s.2; 2009, c.103, s.4; 2010, c.64, s.2; 2013, c.93, s.3; 2015, c.95, s.32; 2015, c.106, s.2; 2016, c.30, s.1; 2016, c.56, s.17; 2017, c.144, s.3; 2018, c.75, s.3; 2019, c.194, s.1.