40A:12A-50. Findings, declarations relative to landfill reclamation improvement districts

1. a. The Legislature finds and declares that it is a public purpose and compelling State interest and is consistent with Article VIII, Section 3, paragraph 1 of the Constitution of this State to facilitate the redevelopment of large landfill sites in areas in need of redevelopment within municipalities that are attempting to create economic growth and thereby to promote job creation and economic development. Environmentally sound landfill reclamation is essentially a "capping" process, and the development potential of a capped landfill is limited. The extensive landfill areas in some of the State's areas in need of redevelopment present major obstacles, both environmentally and financially, for the proper redevelopment of the economic potential of these areas, which makes it necessary to provide special financial and redevelopment tools for municipalities to address these obstacles.

b. The Legislature, therefore, determines that it is appropriate to enable municipalities to establish landfill reclamation improvement districts in areas in need of redevelopment comprising landfills of sufficient size to foster meaningful economic development and to provide municipalities with the appropriate tools for the reclamation and redevelopment of those districts.

c. The Legislature further determines that the proper remediation of extensive landfills and the redevelopment of large landfill sites are necessary to halt the decline in economic activity and the underemployment of economic resources in these areas, to reverse the deterioration of the value of previous investments in areas in need of redevelopment and of public revenue collections on those investments, and to eliminate the disincentive to new investment; and that the improvement of these large sites is vital to the safety, health and welfare of the residents of the municipalities in which they are located and to the State, and constitutes an important opportunity for enhancing the economic condition of the municipalities in which large site landfills are located and that of the State, by augmenting the fiscal resources of government and by stimulating private and public efforts to enhance the attractiveness and desirability of the State as a place to live and work.

d. Therefore, to foster this redevelopment, the Legislature further determines, in accordance with the New Jersey Constitution, including without limitation, Article VIII, Section 3, paragraph 1, that a municipality that has created a landfill reclamation improvement district may: (1) provide for a tax abatement within that district and for a payments in lieu of taxes agreement, in accordance with P.L. 1991, c.431 (C.40A:20-1 et seq.) and P. L.1995, c.173 (C.40A:12A-50 et seq.) and this amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.1996, c.73 (C.40A:12A-50a et al.); (2) levy special assessments on real property within that district in accordance with chapter 56 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes, R.S. 40:56-1 et seq., and with P.L.1995, c.173 and this amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.1996, c.73 (C.40A:12A-50a et al.); and (3) secure revenue bonds, notes or other obligations with those payments in lieu of taxes and special assessments, and utilize these means to secure funds to effect landfill closures, remediation, redevelopment, and construction of infrastructure improvements which will benefit the public at large and which constitute an important public purpose.

e. The Legislature, further, determines that special financing problems exist with respect to the size or nature and extent of remediation and infrastructure improvements where the reclamation improvement district consists of a tract of land of at least 150 acres of which not less than 100 acres were formerly used as a landfill, and determines that the municipality, may, by ordinance, levy a franchise assessment for the privilege of transacting business within the district, which franchise assessment shall be used to compensate the municipality for loss of tax revenues arising from assignment of payments in lieu of taxes or special assessments, or both, as security for bonds.

f. The Legislature, further, determines that it is appropriate to authorize the New Jersey Economic Development Authority established pursuant to P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.) or other instrumentality created by law with the power to incur debt and issue bonds and other obligations, as a conduit for municipalities, to issue and secure revenue bonds, notes or other obligations issued in accordance with P.L.1995, c.173 (C.40A:12A-50 et seq.) and this amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.1996, c.73 (C.40A:12A-50a et al.) with respect to financing or refinancing, without limitation, the site work, construction, reconstruction, repair, alteration, improvement, and development of any infrastructure or parking or transportation facilities or work that abates, prevents or reduces environmental pollution or other improvements that provide a public benefit within or appurtenant to a landfill reclamation improvement district.

L.1995,c.173,s.1; amended 1996,c.73,s.2.