Assembly panel advances bill directing DEP and DOT to develop wildlife corridor action plan with $90,000 appropriation

The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee amended and released Assembly Bill 4926 (and the identical Senate companion, S3618, first reprint), directing the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to jointly develop a wildlife corridor action plan and authorizing a $90,000 appropriation from the general fund to support the work.

Committee amendments clarified the bill’s scope: DEP and DOT are to develop, but not implement, the plan; definitions for “crossing project,” “transportation project,” and “wildlife corridor” were revised; the deadline for completing the plan was extended to 36 months after the bill’s effective date; the plan must identify (not prioritize) crossing projects that promote driver safety and wildlife connectivity; and the plan…