N.J. Stat. § 34:1B-278

Current through L. 2024, c. 80.
Section 34:1B-278 - [See Note] Definitions

As used in sections 9 through 19 of P.L. 2020, c. 156 (C.34:1B-277 through C.34:1B-287):

"Authority" means the New Jersey Economic Development Authority established by section 4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).

"Board" means the Board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).

"Brownfield site" means any real property in this State that is currently vacant or underutilized and on which there has been, or there is suspected to have been, a discharge of a contaminant or on which there is contaminated building material.

"Building services" means any cleaning or routine building maintenance work, including, but not limited to, sweeping, vacuuming, floor cleaning, cleaning of rest rooms, collecting refuse or trash, window cleaning, securing, patrolling, or other work in connection with the care or securing of an existing building, including services typically provided by a door-attendant or concierge. "Building services" shall not include any skilled maintenance work, professional services, or other public work for which a contractor is required to pay the "prevailing wage" as defined in section 2 of P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.26).

"Contaminated building material" means components of a structure where abatement or removal of asbestos, or remediation of materials containing hazardous substances defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11b), is required by applicable federal, state, or local rules or regulations.

"Contamination" or "contaminant" means any discharged hazardous substance as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11b), hazardous waste as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1976, c.99 (C.13:1E-38), pollutant as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-3), or contaminated building material.

"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.

"Developer" means any person that enters or proposes to enter into a redevelopment agreement with the authority pursuant to the provisions of section 13 of P.L. 2020, c. 156 (C.34:1B-281).

"Director" means the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury.

"Equity" means developer-contributed capital that may consist of cash, costs for project feasibility incurred within the 12 months prior to application, property value less any mortgages when the developer owns the project site, and any other investment by the developer in the project that the authority deems acceptable. Property value shall be an amount equal to the lesser of:

(1) the purchase price, provided the property was purchased pursuant to an arm's length transaction within 12 months of application; or
(2) the value as determined by a current appraisal acceptable to the authority. "Equity" includes federal or local grants and proceeds from the sale of federal or local tax credits, including, but not limited to, any federal tax credits that the redevelopment receives pursuant to section 42 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s. 42) and section 45D of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s. 45D). "Equity" shall not include State grants or tax credits or proceeds from redevelopment area bonds. For a residential project utilizing low income tax credits awarded by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency pursuant to section 19 of P.L. 2008, c. 46 (C.52:27D-321.1), "equity" includes the portion of the developer's fee that is deferred for a minimum of five years.

"Government-restricted municipality" means a municipality in this State with a municipal revitalization index distress score of at least 75, that met the criteria for designation as an urban aid municipality in the 2019 State fiscal year, and that, on the effective date of P.L. 2020, c. 156 (C.34:1B-269 et al.), is subject to financial restrictions imposed pursuant to the "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act," P.L. 2016, c. 4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et seq.), or is restricted in its ability to levy property taxes on property in that municipality as a result of the State of New Jersey owning or controlling property representing at least 25 percent of the total land area of the municipality or as a result of the federal government of the United States owning or controlling at least 50 acres of the total land area of the municipality, which is dedicated as a national natural landmark.

"Labor harmony agreement" means an agreement between a business that serves as the owner or operator of a retail establishment or distribution center and one or more labor organizations, which requires, for the duration of the agreement: that any participating labor organization and its members agree to refrain from picketing, work stoppages, boycotts, or other economic interference against the business and that the business agrees to maintain a neutral posture with respect to efforts of any participating labor organization to represent employees at an establishment or other unit in the retail establishment or distribution center, agrees to permit the labor organization to have access to the employees, and agrees to guarantee to the labor organization the right to obtain recognition as the exclusive collective bargaining representatives of the employees in an establishment or unit at the retail establishment or distribution center by demonstrating to the New Jersey State Board of Mediation, Division of Private Employment Dispute Settlement, or a mutually agreed-upon, neutral third party that a majority of workers in the unit have shown their preference for the labor organization to be their representative by signing authorization cards indicating that preference. The labor organization or organizations shall be from a list of labor organizations that have requested to be on the list and that the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development has determined represent substantial numbers of retail or distribution center employees in the State.

"Licensed site remediation professional" means an individual who is licensed by the Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board pursuant to section 7 of P.L. 2009, c. 60 (C.58:10C-7) or the department pursuant to section 12 of P.L. 2009, c. 60 (C.58:10C-12).

"Program" means the Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program established by section 11 of P.L. 2020, c. 156 (C.34:1B-279).

"Project financing gap" means the part of the total remediation cost, including reasonable and appropriate return on investment, that remains to be financed after all other sources of capital have been accounted for, including, but not limited to, developer contributed capital, which shall not be less than 20 percent of the total remediation cost, and investor or financial entity capital or loans for which the developer, after making all good faith efforts to raise additional capital, certifies that additional capital cannot be raised from other sources; provided, however, that for a redevelopment project located in a government-restricted municipality, the developer contributed capital shall not be less than 10 percent of the cost of rehabilitation. When an applicant is proposing a new project, the project financing gap shall consider the cost of the full project, but the award size shall be based on remediation costs. Developer contributed capital may consist of cash, deferred development fees, costs for project feasibility incurred within the 12 months prior to application, property value less any mortgages when the developer owns the project site, and any other investment by the developer in the project deemed acceptable by the authority, as provided by regulations promulgated by the authority. Property value shall be valued at the lesser of either:

a. the purchase price, provided the property was purchased pursuant to an arm's length transaction within 12 months of application; or
b. the value as determined by a current appraisal.

"Qualified incentive tract" means:

a. a population census tract having a poverty rate of 20 percent or more; or
b. a census tract in which the median family income for the census tract does not exceed 80 percent of the greater of the Statewide median family income or the median family income of the metropolitan statistical area in which the census tract is situated.

"Redevelopment agreement" means an agreement between the authority and a developer under which the developer agrees to perform any work or undertaking necessary for the remediation of a brownfield site located at the site of the redevelopment project.

"Redevelopment project" means a specific remediation project undertaken, pursuant to the terms of a redevelopment agreement, by a developer within an area of land whereon a brownfield site is located.

"Remediation" or "remediate" means all necessary actions to investigate and clean up or respond to any known, suspected, or threatened discharge of contaminants, including, as necessary, the preliminary assessment, site investigation, remedial investigation, and remedial action, or any portion thereof, as those terms are defined in section 23 of P.L.1993, c.139 (C.58:10B-1); and hazardous materials abatement; hazardous materials or waste disposal; building and structural remedial activities, including, but not limited to, demolition, asbestos abatement, polychlorinated biphenyl removal, improvement and capping of landfills, contaminated wood or paint removal, or other infrastructure remedial activities, provided, however, "remediation" or "remediate" shall not include the payment of compensation for damage to, or loss of, natural resources.

"Remediation costs" means all reasonable costs associated with the remediation of a contaminated site, except any costs incurred in financing the remediation.

N.J.S. § 34:1B-278

Amended by L. 2024, c. 61,s. 5, eff. upon adoption of the rules in accordance with section 10 of this act.
Amended by L. 2021, c. 160, s. 5, eff. 7/2/2021.
Added by L. 2020, c. 156, s. 10, eff. 1/7/2021.
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.