27:5H-3. Nuclear Waste Transport Commission

a. There is created in, but not of, the Department of Transportation, the Nuclear Waste Transport Commission. The commission shall consist of 11 voting members, three of whom shall be the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of Transportation, and the Superintendent of the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio; and eight of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

b. Of the appointed members: two shall be county freeholders at the time of their appointments, who shall not be of the same political party and who shall be selected from a list of candidates recommended by the New Jersey Association of Counties; two shall be municipal elected or appointed officials at the time of their appointment, who shall not be of the same political party and who shall be selected from a list of candidates recommended by the New Jersey State League of Municipalities; two shall be members of a local environmental commission or recognized environmental organization; one shall be a representative of the high level nuclear waste transporting industry; and one shall be a representative of the high level nuclear waste generating industry.

c. Of the appointed members: two shall be residents of either Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, or Warren counties; two shall be residents of either Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, or Union counties; two shall be residents of either Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, or Gloucester counties; one shall be a resident of Ocean county; and one shall be a resident of Salem county.

d. Each appointed member shall serve a term of three years, except that of those first appointed, three shall serve for terms of three years, three for terms of two years, and two for terms of one year. Each of these members shall hold office for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified. A member shall be eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy in the membership occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, but for the unexpired term only.

e. Each appointed member may be removed from office by the appointing authority, for cause and after opportunity for a hearing, and may be suspended by the appointing authority pending the completion of the hearing. Each appointed member who shall miss three consecutive meetings of the commission without being excused for good cause by the chairman shall be deemed to have vacated his office.

f. The commission shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members. The Governor shall designate a chairman, who shall schedule, convene, and chair commission meetings, and a vice-chairman, who shall act as chairman in his absence, from the public members who shall serve at the will of the Governor. The members shall select a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission. The commission may, within the limits of any funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for this purpose, appoint such other staff or hire such experts as it may require.

g. The powers of the commission shall be vested in the members thereof in office. A majority of the membership of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions adopted by the commission at any meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the full membership of the commission.

h. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but the commission may, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it, reimburse members for actual expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their official duties.

P.L. 1987, c. 12, s. 3.