58:27-20. Findings, declarations

2. The Legislature finds and declares that protecting the ground and surface water of the State from pollution is vital to the health and general welfare of the citizens of New Jersey; that the construction, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of modern and efficient sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants are essential to protecting and improving the State's water quality; that in addition to protecting and improving the State's water quality, adequate wastewater treatment systems are essential to economic growth and development; that many of the wastewater treatment systems in New Jersey must be replaced or upgraded if an inexorable decline in water quality is to be avoided during the coming decades; that the United States Congress in recognition of the crucial role wastewater treatment systems and plants play in maintaining and improving water quality, and with an understanding that the cost of financing and constructing these systems must be borne by local governments and authorities with limited sources of revenues, established a program to provide local governments with grants for constructing these systems; that during the last several years the amount of federal grant money available to states and local governments for assistance in constructing and improving wastewater treatment systems has sharply diminished; that the current level of federal grant funding is inadequate to meet the cost of upgrading the State's wastewater treatment capacity to comply with State water quality standards; that given this inadequate present level of federal grant funding, alternative methods of financing the construction, operation, and improvement of wastewater treatment systems must be developed and encouraged; that one alternative method of financing necessary wastewater treatment systems available to local governments consists of contracting with private sector firms for the financing, construction and operation of these systems; and that for some local government units, contracting for the provision of wastewater treatment services, if done in such a way as to protect the interests of consumers and to conform with environmental standards, will constitute an appropriate method of securing these needed wastewater treatment systems. The Legislature further finds that it is in the public interest and the policy of the State to foster and promote by all reasonable means the long-term operation and maintenance of modern, efficient wastewater treatment systems designed to protect and improve the State's water quality thereby ensuring the health and general welfare of all inhabitants of the State; that while the "New Jersey Wastewater Treatment Privatization Act," P.L.1985, c.72 (C.58:27-1 et seq.), enabled local government units to enter into long term contracts with private-sector firms for the provision of wastewater treatment services, the time consuming procedures and the regulatory framework required therein has dissuaded private firms and local government units from entering into long-term contractual relationships as envisioned by this act; that there is a need for an alternative statutory process which enables local government units to enter with private firms or public authorities into long-term contracts that protect the rights and interests of residents of the local government unit, but allow the private firms or public authorities to utilize their expertise, experience and resources to enable the local government unit to comply with existing and more stringent future requirements of the "Federal Water Pollution Control Act," 33 U.S.C. s.1251 et seq., the State "Water Pollution Control Act," P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.) and the "Safe Drinking Water Act," P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-1 et seq.). The Legislature therefore determines that it is in the public interest to establish a comprehensive procedure designed to authorize local government units to enter into contracts with private firms or public authorities for the financing, designing, construction, improvement, operation, maintenance, or administration, or any combination thereof, of wastewater treatment systems or for the provision of wastewater treatment services. L.1995,c.216,s.2.