1. a. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall develop a priority system for ranking shore protection projects and establish appropriate criteria therefor. Commencing with the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 1999, and for each fiscal year thereafter, the commissioner shall use the priority system to establish a shore protection project priority list for projects designated to receive funding pursuant to an appropriation made from the Shore Protection Fund, hereinafter referred to as the “fund,” established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1992, c.148 (C. 13:19-16.1). The list shall include a description of each project and its purpose, impact, estimated cost, and estimated construction schedule, and an explanation of the manner in which priorities were established. A description of the priority system and the project priority list for the ensuing fiscal year shall be submitted to the Legislature on or before January 31 of each year on a day when both Houses are meeting. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively, and shall cause the project priority list to be introduced in each House in the form of legislative bills authorizing the expenditure of monies appropriated pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1992, c.148 (C. 13:19-16.1) for projects on the list, and shall refer these bills to the Senate Economic Growth, Agriculture and Tourism Committee, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the General Assembly Environment, Science and Technology Committee, and the General Assembly Appropriations Committee, or their successors, for their respective consideration.

b. Within 60 days of the referral thereof, the Senate Economic Growth, Agriculture and Tourism Committee, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the General Assembly Environment, Science and Technology Committee, and the General Assembly Appropriations Committee, or their successors, shall, either individually or jointly, consider the legislation containing the project priority list, and shall report the legislation, together with any modifications, out of committee for consideration by each House of the Legislature. On or before June 1 of each year, the Legislature shall approve the legislation containing the project priority list, including any amendatory or supplementary provisions thereto. The legislation approved by the Legislature shall authorize the expenditure of monies appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the Shore Protection Fund for the specific projects, including the estimated amounts therefor, on the list.

c. No monies appropriated from the Shore Protection Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection shall be expended for any shore protection project unless the estimated expenditure is authorized pursuant to legislation approved in accordance with the provisions of subsection b. of this section or unless the shore protection project is of an emergency nature pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.1992, c.148 (C. 13:19-16.1). The department is authorized to transfer monies between authorized projects to compensate for the differences between the estimated and actual costs of a project. If the Legislature fails to approve legislation within the time frame specified pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the expenditure of monies appropriated from the Shore Protection Fund shall be authorized pursuant to the provisions of the annual appropriations act.

L.1997,c.384,s.1.