S 743 — Appropriates $111.6 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to DEP for habitat restoration, land acquisition, and restoration oversight projects.*

S743 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

BURZICHELLI District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)  Assemblyman   JAMES  J.   SYNOPSIS      Appropriates $58.145 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to DEP for habitat restoration, land acquisition, and restoration oversight projects.

 KENNEDY CURRENTDistrict VERSION22 OF(Somerset TEXTand     Union) IntroducedAssemblywoman  PendingHEATHER TechnicalSIMMONS ReviewDistrict by3 Legislative(Cumberland, Counsel.Gloucester and Salem)   Co-Sponsored by:

  Senator AnTimberlake, ActAssemblywomen appropriatingBrennan, $58.145Haider and Assemblyman Bhalla         SYNOPSIS      Appropriates $111.6 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to theDEP Departmentfor ofhabitat Environmentalrestoration, Protectionland foracquisition, certainand restoration oversight projects.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on February 12, 2026, with amendments.

   An Act appropriating 1[$58.145] $111.61 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to the Department of Environmental Protection for certain projects.

       1.  a.  There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $58,145,0001[$58,145,000] $111,600,0001 from dedicated natural resource damages revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 9 of the State Constitution in the Natural Resource Damages – Constitutional Dedication account, from funds recovered in connection with claims made by the State in the matters of N.J.

The1N.J. Ciba Geigy Toms River Superfund Site, and The American Cyanamid Superfund Site, for projects to repair, restore, or replace damaged or lost natural resources of the State, or permanently protect the natural resources of the State pursuant to the prioritization set forth in Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 9 of the State Constitution as follows:

 Dep’t. RESTORATION/ACQUISITION $53,145,000     Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition Statewide   $33,500,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Lower Delaware Water Region $5,200,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Atlantic Water Region $2,250,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Northeast Water Region $10,250,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement in the Raritan Water Region $1,345,000 Restoration Oversight – Ciba-Geigy Superfund Site $500,000 Restoration Oversight – Headgates Dam Removal $100,000 ADMINISTRATION $5,000,000      b.  The department may reallocate funds among the projects appropriated hereinabove, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.  The department shall send written notification of any such reallocation of funds to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, and the Chairs of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee, or their respective successor committees.

of Env.

Protection v.

Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, and Arkema, Inc.

No.

GLO-L-001239-20,1 The Ciba Geigy Toms River Superfund Site, and The American Cyanamid Superfund Site, for projects to repair, restore, or replace damaged or lost natural resources of the State, or permanently protect the natural resources of the State pursuant to the prioritization set forth in Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 9 of the State Constitution as follows:

  RESTORATION/ACQUISITION 1[$53,145,000] $102,400,0001    Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition Statewide   $33,500,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Lower Delaware Water Region 1[$5,200,000] $54,455,0001 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Atlantic Water Region $2,250,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement/ Land Acquisition in the Northeast Water Region $10,250,000 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement in the Raritan Water Region $1,345,000 Restoration Oversight – Ciba-Geigy Superfund Site $500,000 Restoration Oversight – Headgates Dam Removal $100,000 ADMINISTRATION 1[$5,000,000] $9,200,0001      b.  The department may reallocate funds among the projects appropriated hereinabove, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.  The department shall send written notification of any such reallocation of funds to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, and the Chairs of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee, or their respective successor committees.

    STATEMENT        This bill would appropriate $58.145 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues, collected from various legal actions enumerated in the bill, to the Department of Environmental Protection (department) for certain habitat restoration and enhancement projects, land acquisition projects, restoration oversight activities, and administrative costs.  The bill would authorize the department to utilize the funds for State costs, as grants or loans to local governments, or as grants or loans to nonprofit organizations.