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Committee advances bill exempting community-garden composting from certain DEP permits
Summary
AB2102 would exempt qualifying community gardens operating on-site composting systems from some DEP permits under conditions. The New Jersey Compost Council endorsed the bill and recommended DEP funding for outreach; a member raised a question about the bill's definition of 'community garden.'
The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee voted unanimously to release Assembly Bill 2102, which would exempt community gardens that operate on-site composting systems from certain Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permits, provided they meet conditions set in the bill.
A representative from the New Jersey Compost Council told the committee the bill removes permitting barriers that are often cost- and resource-prohibitive for small community gardens and would encourage grassroots food-waste recycling. The council noted the bill’s food-waste cap is designed to allow meaningful composting while preventing negative environmental impacts, and recommended that, during reconciliation, the Legislature consider allocating funds to the DEP for educational resources and to subsidize community composting bins for underserved areas.
During member votes, Assemblyman Ganemort expressed support but raised a clarification about the definition of ‘‘community garden’’ in the bill (line 33), noting the language could be broadly read to include privately owned backyard plots where neighbors help maintain a garden. He said he would support the bill if that broad interpretation was intended but flagged the point for clarification.
Committee members voted to release AB2102 as referred; no amendments were adopted during the hearing.
