News Flash

Mayor Bollwage Testified Before Congressional Committee

Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage, NJLM Past President, testified on Wednesday on reauthorization of the Brownfields Program on behalf of the League’s federal partner, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayo...

Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement & Recycled Materials Bill Signed

Acting Governor Tahesha Way signed into law A-4797/S-3255, which concerns the percentage of reclaimed asphalt pavement and recycled materials that can be used for certain road projects. P.L. 2023, c.160 takes effect in March 2024.  

The new law re...

Lunch & Learn: US EPA and NJDEP Discuss BIL & IRA Implementation

On Monday, September 18 at 12:00 p.m., the League is hosting a Lunch and Learn with US EPA Region 2 Office Administrator Lisa F. Garcia and NJDEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette to discuss applicable municipal funding opportunities through the Bipartisan...

Lunch & Learn: State Planning Commission – State Plan Update

The State Planning Commission has embarked on updating the State Development and Redevelopment Plan.   Come learn about the Plan, the process involved, and how the Commission can help make this process valuable to municipal stakeholders. After an...

NJDEP Holds Inland Flood Protection Rule Q&A Session

On Thursday, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) hosted an “Ask the Administrator Q&A Session” to answer questions from the public regarding the Inland Flood Protection rule and implementation.

On hand to answer questions were...

NJBPU Proposes Rule Amendments Applicable to Municipalities

On August 21, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) published proposed rule amendments governing all utilities, including municipal water and wastewater utilities. These changes include:  

1. The extension of the Winter Termination Program to ...

U.S. Treasury Releases Interim Final Rule on ARPA Flex

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Treasury released its long-awaited Interim Final Rule on ARPA Flex and an Overview of the Interim Final Rule. ARPA Flex was a provision passed by Congress in December 2022. 

This rule cr...

USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry 2023 Challenge Cost Share Grant Program

This program works in partnership with State and local forestry agencies, educational institutes, and different kinds of organizations to restore, sustain, and manage more than 140 million acres of urban and community forest lands for the benefit of commu...

NLC Broadband Webinar Available

Recently, the League’s federal partner, the National League of Cities (NLC), hosted the Overcoming Barriers to Expanding Broadband in American Communities webinar. The webinar recording and slides are now available to review.

Th...

Lunch & Learn: NJDEP – Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan

Earlier this week the League held a Lunch and Learn with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) on its Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan. A recording of the program is now available on the League’s website.

NJDEP&rsqu...

Boardwalk Preservation Fund

The Assembly Budget Committee and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee released on Tuesday S-3989/A-5675 which establishes the "Boardwalk Preservation Fund." The Boardwalk Preservation grant is part of the Governor’s budget p...

Bill Preempting Local Control of ROW Advancing in Congress

A bill was recently passed out of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, that would impose new restrictions on local authorities to regulate local land use and zoning issues related to the deployment of telecommunications equipment.

The Ame...

Court Decision Will Impact Municipal Collection of BPPT

This week, an Appellate Panel released their opinion in Verizon New Jersey v. Borough of Hopewell, a case which the League participated in as amicus because of its broad implications on New Jersey’s municipalities.

The Appellate Panel ma...

Inland Flood Protection Rules to Take Effect in July

The new Inland Flood Protection Rules update New Jersey’s existing flood hazard and stormwater regulations by replacing current precipitation estimates with modern data that attempts to account for observed and projected increases in ra...

Bill Limiting Review of Wireless Facilities Approved by Committee

On Monday, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee amended and favorably reported A-4376, a bill that would further weaken already sparse local oversight of the collocation of wireless equipment in the local right of way. 

The Leag...

Featured Grants - June 2023

State Funding for Municipal Use

• Municipal Aid Available for Transportation Projects (Deadline: 7/1/23)
• NJDEP | Coastal Management Program | Community-Based Art Grant Program – (Deadline: 6/30/23)
• Spotted Lanternfly Treatment Funding (Deadline: 9/1/23)
• Afforda...

House Advances Wireless and Cable Preemption Bill

Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up 19 bills, including H.R. 3557, the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023. This bill is of particular interest to local governments because it would codify in statute two relatively recent ac...

Congress Passes Fiscal Responsibility Act

On Wednesday night the House passed H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 by a margin of 314-117 and on Thursday the Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 63-36 after a series of amendments were not agreed to. President is expected to imme...

New Law Requires DEP Post Water Purveyor Information Online

This new law took effect on May 8, and the DEP has 30 days from this date to post the required reports.  

Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137. 

NJDEP Releases Draft MS4 Model Ordinances

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has released two draft model ordinances related to the new conditions as part of the updated MS4 Tier A permit and will be accepting informal comments until May 12.   

The firs...

DCA Updates LIHWAP Webpage to Assist Customers and Utilities

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has updated its Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) webpage to provide better assistance to customers and utilities looking for information on the program.

The updated webpage provides...

League Hosts USDA Rural Development Webinar

On Thursday, the League hosted a Lunch and Learn with Jane Asselta, USDA Rural Development New Jersey State Director who discussed available funding and loans for municipalities.

Among the programs highlighted where grants and/or loans that are available f...

League Seeking Information on MS4 Permit Compliance

The League is asking our members to answer a short survey aimed at gathering information related to individual municipalities efforts to comply with the NJDEP’s new MS4 permit program requirements.   

The New Jersey Department o...

NJDEP Provides Details on MS4 Permit Compliance Grants

In February, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced it would be making available of $19 million in grants to help municipalities with the transition to new municipal stormwater permitting requirements. Additional details o...

NJDEP Hosting Meeting for Mayors on MS4 Grant Program

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will be hosting an executive information session for mayors to review the recently announced grant program to assist municipalities with the new stormwater permitting requirements.&...

NJDEP Announces Grants to Assist with New MS4 Permit Requirements

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has announced the availability of $19 million in grants to help municipalities with the transition to new municipal stormwater permitting requirements. Details on the grant program have not bee...

Senate Committee Discusses Bill Looking to Increase Utility Participation in LIHWAP

This week, the Senate Economic Growth Committee reviewed S-3333 for discussion only. While the League agrees that additional efforts are needed to ensure the success of the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), we do not agree t...

FY2023 Federal Omnibus Budget Passed

In the final week of December, the House and Senate passed, and President Biden signed a $1.7 trillion FY2023 federal budget through September 30, 2023. For provisions of state and local interest, please read the League’s two blog posts, the fir...

SHBP Update: No Relief In New Year

Earlier today the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC) met to consider items including the transfer of Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds. The transfers, which were already outlined in the State budget, included:

• $300 million for various ca...