13:19-26. Duties of department

5. a. The department shall:

(1) Develop a packet of information and instructions, and, within the limits of funds made available therefor, provide cleanup supplies, for use by program volunteers in cleaning up beaches and shores in accordance with this act;

(2) Coordinate with program volunteers and appropriate local government officials in arranging for the disposal, and to the maximum extent practicable and feasible, the recycling, of debris, litter, floatable waste, and other refuse collected by program volunteers;

(3) Advertise and promote the "Adopt a Beach" program, and develop and utilize such slogans, symbols, and mascots as the department may deem expedient for such purposes;

(4) Coordinate the operation of the "Adopt a Beach" program with the responsibilities of the department and the Department of Education to prepare and distribute educational materials concerning the deleterious effects of plastics and other forms of pollution on the marine environment pursuant to the "Clean Ocean Education Act," P.L.1988, c.62 (C.58:10A-52 et seq.);

(5) Cooperate with the Department of Corrections on any program established by law or by that department that utilizes prisoners to clean up or maintain beaches or shores;

(6) Provide notice of the provisions of this act to every coastal municipality in the State; and

(7) Organize, coordinate, and designate the dates for two annual coastwide beach and shore cleanups, one in the Spring and one in the Fall, in which all program volunteers shall be asked to participate, and which shall be in addition to any other cleanup activities that program volunteers may undertake.

b. The department may:

(1) Prepare or use from existing environmental advocacy group sources, data cards to be distributed to program volunteers to record information on the amounts and types of debris, litter, floatable waste, and other refuse collected, and such other information as the department may deem useful;

(2) Utilize the information derived from data cards distributed to program volunteers to formulate recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature for administrative or legislative action to effectuate the goal of preventing ocean pollution; and

(3) Issue to each program volunteer an adoption certificate, and, within the limits of funds made available therefor, provide a sign indicating the name of the participating group, organization, business, or individual for placement, if not otherwise prohibited by law or municipal ordinance, at an appropriate point on the public road providing access to the section of beach or shore adopted by the program volunteer, or at such other point as the department may prescribe.

L.1992,c.213,s.5.