WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

On Monday, May 20th, the NJ Senate passed bill S2594 which authorized the NJDEP to release money from the dam remediation fund. It passed 37 to 0. This is the money that we have been waiting for since early 2022. So, we are on the way to having the money made available to us. But first we need to get the Assembly to pass it. Presently, the Assembly version is stuck in committee, and we only have one more committee meeting (June 6th) before the summer recess. The Assembly bill number is A3951.

Here's how you can help. Please call all 6 of the assembly people listed below and the Governor's office. Better yet, call AND email them. Ask them to move this bill. In the case of the Governor, ask him to tell ASM Kennedy to move it out of committee where it’s been stuck for the past several legislative sessions. Kennedy is the committee chair.

Here is the contact info:

ASM John Kennedy, 732-943-2660
asmkennedy@njleg.org

ASW Shavonda E.Sumter, 973-925-7073
aswsumter@njleg.org

ASW Garnet R Hall, 973-762-1886
aswhall@njleg.org

ASM Michael Inganamort, 973-300-0200
asminganmort@njleg.org

ASW Andrea Katz, 609-850-2397
aswkatz@njleg.org

ASM Gerry Scharfenberger, 732-856-9294
asmscharfenberger@njleg.org

Governor Phil Murphy 609-292-6000.
His website will default to send him an email.

Here's an idea for your email:

Dear Assembly/man/woman:

I am contacting you regarding assembly bill A3951. This bill provides for release of funds by the DEP for dam remediation in the State of New Jersey. The funds were raised through a bond fund in the early 1990s and therefore have no effect on the present budget.

I am a resident of a lake community association which is waiting for the release of funds to complete our dam remediation. Our project was started in 2021. We have been waiting for the release of these funds since early 2022.

Please help to move this bill out of committee so it can be voted on by the Assembly.

Thank you.

________signature.

Finally…here are some talking points for your phone call.

You are calling about Assembly bill A3951.

You are a resident of a lake association that has been approved by the DEP for a loan to perform dam remediation. Our dam remediation is almost complete.

This bill authorizes the DEP to release the money from a fund that was bonded in the early 90’s. Since the money is already appropriated, it has no effect on the present budget.

The senate passed their version (S2594) by a 37 to 0 vote on May 20th.

Please move this bill so it can be voted on before the summer recess.

Please make contact with these elected officials in the next 5 to 7 days to allow enough time for the bill to be added to the committee agenda.

Sorry for the length of this email. Please don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions at 973-568-9054. Thanks for your efforts.