Requires DEP to notify certain property owners of change in property's status as wetlands area; establishes process to appeal certain wetlands designations.

A5291

ASSEMBLY, No. 5291

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 18, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires DEP to notify certain property owners of
change in property�s status as wetlands area; establishes process to appeal
certain wetlands designations.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning notification to property owners of wetland
areas and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.� As used in this act:

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

���� �Wetlands� means freshwater
wetlands as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1987, c.156 (C.13:9B-3), or
coastal wetlands as defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1970, c.272 (C.13:9A-2).

���� 2.� a.� If, at any time, the
department reevaluates or remaps wetlands areas within the State, the
department shall notify all affected owners of real property of any changes to
their property�s status as a wetlands area.� The notification shall include, at
a minimum, information concerning whether the property�s, or a portion of a
property�s, status as a wetlands area has changed, including, whether the
property, or a portion of the property:

���� (1) was previously designated
as a wetlands area, but, after reevaluation or remapping by the department, is
no longer designated as a wetlands area; or

���� (2) was previously not
designated as a wetlands area, but, after reevaluation or remapping by the
department, is designated as a wetlands area.

���� b.� The notification provided
pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall also include a detailed
description of how much of the property is designated to be a wetlands area,
including a comparison of how the size of the wetlands area on the property has
either increased or decreased as a result of the department�s reevaluation or
remapping.

���� 3.� The department shall
establish a process by which an owner of real property may appeal the
department�s designation of a property, or a portion of a property, as a
wetlands area.� The appeals process shall be conducted in the manner provided
for contested cases pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968,
c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).� The department shall include information related
to the appeals process in any notifications provided pursuant to section 2 of
this act and on its Internet website.

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

STATEMENT

���� The bill would require the
Department of Environmental Protection (department) to notify affected owners
of real property of any changes to their property�s status as a wetlands area
in the event that the department reevaluates or remaps wetlands areas within
the State.

���� Specifically, the notification
would be required to include, at a minimum, information concerning whether the
property�s, or a portion of a property�s, status as a wetlands area has
changed, including, whether the property, or a portion of the property: (1) was
previously designated as a wetlands area, but, after reevaluation or remapping
by the department, is no longer designated as a wetlands area; or (2) was
previously not designated as a wetlands area, but, after reevaluation or
remapping by the department, is designated as a wetlands area.� The notification
would also be required to include a detailed description of how much of the
property is designated to be a wetlands area, including a comparison of how the
size of the wetlands area on the property has either increased or decreased as
a result of the department�s reevaluation or remapping.

���� In addition, the bill would
require the department to establish a process by which an owner of real
property may appeal the department�s designation of a property, or a portion of
a property, as a wetlands area.� The department would be required to include
information related to the appeals process in any notifications provided under
the bill and on its Internet website.