ASSEMBLY, No. 4531

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JANUARY 23, 2017

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  GARY S. SCHAER

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires public utility to provide municipality notice in writing at least one calendar year prior to initiating work on infrastructure project requiring BPU approval.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 

An Act concerning certain public utility infrastructure projects and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  a.  A public utility shall provide to a county or municipality notice in writing at least one calendar year prior to initiating work on a public utility infrastructure project in that county or municipality, except in an emergency.  The notice shall include a summary of the purpose and scope of the public utility infrastructure project, a timeline and map of the public utility infrastructure project, and any other information deemed necessary by the board.

     b.    A county or municipality shall annually inform a public utility of planned infrastructure projects that will be undertaken by the municipality or county.

     c.     A public utility, upon completing a project that requires road excavation work in a county or municipality, shall restore the road to the condition that is required pursuant to ordinances in that county or municipality.  

     d.    As used in this section:

     "Board" means the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities or its successor agency.

     "Emergency" means any time a public utility service is interrupted or in immediate danger of being interrupted by the elements or by any other cause or when the condition of the equipment of the public utility is in need of immediate repair to prevent injury to persons or damage to property.

     "Public utility" means "public utility" as defined in R.S.48:2-13.

     "Public utility infrastructure project" means a project performed by a public utility in more than one municipality that consists of work that includes, but is not limited to, raising or relocating electric substations, replacing or upgrading low-pressure, cast iron gas mains, and replacing or upgrading electric, gas, or water transmission lines and that requires approval by the board.

 

     2.  This act shall take effect on the 180th day after the date of enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill provides that a public utility is to provide to a county or municipality notice in writing at least one calendar year prior to initiating work on a public utility infrastructure project in that county or municipality which requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities's (board) approval, except in an emergency.  The notice is to include a summary of the purpose and scope of the public utility infrastructure project, a timeline and map of the public utility infrastructure project, and any other information deemed necessary by the board.

     The bill requires a county or municipality to annually inform a public utility of planned infrastructure projects that will be undertaken by the municipality or county.  Finally, the bill requires a public utility, upon completing a project that requires road excavation work in a county or municipality, to restore the road to the condition that is required pursuant to ordinances in that county or municipality.