Directs DEP to establish leasing program for State-owned land to be used and managed as pollinator habitat.

A1518

ASSEMBLY, No. 1518

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Lopez

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs DEP to establish leasing program for
State-owned land to be used and managed as pollinator habitat.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning

the leasing of State-owned lands for use as pollinator
habitat and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.����� a. The Department of
Environmental Protection, in accordance with State leasing procedures, shall
establish a leasing program for any person, local government unit, nonprofit
organization, or other entity that the department determines is qualified and appropriate,
to lease, develop, use, and manage any appropriate and suitable State-owned
land as pollinator habitat.

���� b.��� The department shall
adopt, pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, rules
and regulations providing for:

���� (1)� the identification of
State-owned lands that are appropriate and suitable as pollinator habitat;

���� (2)� criteria for the
selection of appropriate entities to lease, develop, use, and manage
State-owned land as pollinator habitat; and

���� (3)� any other requirements as
the department determines are necessary to implement this act.

���� c.��� As used in this section:

���� �Department� means the
Department of Environmental Protection.

���� "Local government
unit" means a county, a municipality, or any board, commission, committee,
authority or agency thereof that is subject to the provisions of the
"Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.),
including a housing authority or redevelopment agency created or continued
under the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79
(C.40A:12A-1 et seq.).

���� �Pollinator habitat� means an
area of land developed and managed as habitat beneficial for the feeding,
nesting, and reproduction of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and
hummingbirds, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection in
consultation with the Department of Agriculture.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill directs the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a leasing program for
the lease, development, use, and management of appropriate and suitable
State-owned land as pollinator habitat by any person, local government unit,
nonprofit organization, or other entity that the DEP determines is qualified
and appropriate to manage State-owned land for this purpose.

���� The bill also directs the DEP,
in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to adopt rules and
regulations providing for:

���� 1)��� the identification of
State-owned lands that are appropriate and suitable for management as
pollinator habitat; and

���� 2)��� criteria for the
selection of appropriate entities to lease, develop, use, and manage
State-owned land for this purpose.