“Approval” means, except as otherwise provided in section 4 of P.L.2008, c.78 (C. 40:55D-136.4), any approval of a soil erosion and sediment control plan granted by a local soil conservation district under the authority conferred by R.S.4:24-22 et seq., waterfront development permit issued pursuant to R.S.12:5-1 et seq., permit issued pursuant to “The Wetlands Act of 1970,” P.L.1970, c.272 (C. 13:9A-1 et seq.), permit issued pursuant to the “Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act,” P.L.1987, c.156 (C. 13:9B-1 et al.), approval of an application for development granted by the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission pursuant to the “Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Law of 1974,” P.L.1974, c.118 (C. 13:13A-1 et seq.), permit issued by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission pursuant to the “Hackensack Meadowlands Reclamation and Development Act,” P.L.1968, c.404 (C. 13:17-1 et al.), approval of an application for development granted by the Pinelands Commission and determination of municipal and county plan conformance pursuant to the “Pinelands Protection Act,” P.L.1979, c.111 (C. 13:18A-1 et seq.), permit issued and center designations pursuant to the “Coastal Area Facility Review Act,” P.L.1973, c.185 (C. 13:19-1 et seq.), septic approval granted pursuant to Title 26 of the Revised Statutes, permit granted pursuant to R.S.27:7-1 et seq. or any supplement thereto, right-of-way permit issued by the Department of Transportation pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (h) of section 5 of P.L.1966, c.301 (C. 27:1A-5), approval granted by a sewerage authority pursuant to the “sewerage authorities law,” P.L.1946, c.138 (C. 40:14A-1 et seq.), approval granted by a municipal authority pursuant to the “municipal and county utilities authorities law,” P.L.1957, c.183 (C. 40:14B-1 et seq.), an agreement with a municipality, county, municipal authority, sewerage authority, or other governmental authority for the use or reservation of sewerage capacity, approval issued by a county planning board pursuant to chapter 27 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes, preliminary and final approval granted in connection with an application for development pursuant to the “Municipal Land Use Law,” P.L.1975, c.291 (C. 40:55D-1 et seq.), permit granted pursuant to the “State Uniform Construction Code Act,” P.L.1975, c.217 (C. 52:27D-119 et seq.), plan endorsement and center designations pursuant to the “State Planning Act,” P.L.1985, c.398 (C. 52:18A-196 et al.), permit or certification issued pursuant to the “Water Supply Management Act,” P.L.1981, c.262 (C. 58:1A-1 et al.), permit granted authorizing the drilling of a well pursuant to P.L.1947, c.377 (C. 58:4A-5 et seq.), certification or permit granted, exemption from a sewerage connection ban granted, wastewater management plan approved, and pollution discharge elimination system permit pursuant to the “Water Pollution Control Act,” P.L.1977, c.74 (C. 58:10A-1 et seq.), certification granted pursuant to “The Realty Improvement Sewerage and Facilities Act (1954),” P.L.1954, c.199 (C. 58:11-23 et seq.), certification or approval granted pursuant to P.L.1971, c.386 (C. 58:11-25.1 et al.), certification issued and water quality management plan approved pursuant to the “Water Quality Planning Act,” P.L.1977, c.75 (C. 58:11A-1 et seq.), approval granted pursuant to the “Safe Drinking Water Act,” P.L.1977, c.224 (C. 58:12A-1 et al.), permit issued pursuant to the “Flood Hazard Area Control Act,” P.L.1962, c.19 (C. 58:16A-50 et seq.), any municipal, county, regional, or State approval or permit granted under the general authority conferred by State law or rule or regulation, or any other government authorization of any development application or any permit related thereto whether that authorization is in the form of a permit, approval, license, certification, permission, determination, interpretation, exemption, variance, exception, waiver, letter of interpretation, no further action letter, agreement or any other executive or administrative decision which allows a development or governmental project to proceed.

“Development” means the division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels, the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation or enlargement of any building or other structure or facility, or of any grading, soil removal or relocation, excavation or landfill or any use or change in the use of any building or other structure or land or extension of the use of land.

“Environmentally sensitive area” means an area designated pursuant to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan adopted, as of the effective date of P.L.2008, c.78 (C. 40:55D-136.1 et seq.), pursuant to P.L.1985, c.398 (C. 52:18A-196 et al.) as Planning Area 4B (Rural/Environmentally Sensitive), Planning Area 5 (Environmentally Sensitive), or a critical environmental site, but shall not include any extension area as defined in this section.

“Extension area” means an area designated pursuant to P.L.1985, c.398 (C. 52:18A-196 et seq.) as Planning Area 1 (Metropolitan), Planning Area 2 (Suburban), Planning Area 3 (Fringe Planning Area), Planning Area 4A (Rural Planning Area), a designated center, or a designated growth center in an endorsed plan until June 30, 2013, or until the State Planning Commission revises and readopts New Jersey’s State Strategic Plan and adopts regulations to refine this definition as it pertains to Statewide planning areas, whichever is later; a smart growth area and planning area designated in a master plan adopted by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission pursuant to subsection (i) of section 6 of P.L.1968, c.404 (C. 13:17-6); regional growth areas, villages, and towns, designated in the comprehensive management plan prepared and adopted by the Pinelands Commission pursuant to section 7 of the “Pinelands Protection Act,” P.L.1979, c.111 (C. 13:18A-8); the planning area of the Highlands Region as defined in section 3 of the “Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act,” P.L.2004, c.120 (C. 13:20-3), and any Highlands center designated by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2004, c.120 (C. 13:20-4); an urban enterprise zone designated pursuant to P.L.1983, c.303 (C. 52:27H-60 et seq.) or P.L.2001, c.347 (C. 52:27H-66.2 et al.); an area determined to be in need of redevelopment pursuant to sections 5 and 6 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C. 40A:12A-5 and 40A:12A-6) and as approved by the Department of Community Affairs; or similar areas designated by the Department of Environmental Protection. “Extension area” shall not include an area designated pursuant to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan adopted, as of the effective date of P.L.2008, c.78, pursuant to P.L.1985, c.398 as Planning Area 4B (Rural/Environmentally Sensitive) or Planning Area 5 (Environmentally Sensitive), except for any area within Planning Area 4B or Planning Area 5 that is a designated center, or a designated growth center in an endorsed plan.

“Extension period” means the period beginning January 1, 2007 and continuing through December 31, 2015; provided, however, that the period in Superstorm Sandy-impacted counties shall continue through December 31, 2016.

“Government” means any municipal, county, regional, or State government, or any agency, department, commission or other instrumentality thereof.

“Superstorm Sandy-impacted counties” means Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties, as identified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Superstorm Sandy-impacted extension period” means the period beginning January 1, 2016 and continuing through December 31, 2016.

L.2008, c.78, s.3; amended 2009, c.336; 2012, c.48, s.2; 2014, c.84, s.2; 2016, c.14, s.1.