1. a. The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, shall develop and implement an aquaculture permitting review program to provide for the coordinated review of any aquaculture project. The permitting review program shall provide for a coordinated permit application for any permit, approval, or authorization required for an aquaculture project. The permitting review program shall consolidate the review process for the coordinated permit application.

b. The coordinated permit application shall include any permit, approval, or other authorization required for an aquaculture project, including, but not limited to, as applicable, a permit, license, approval, or authorization required pursuant to section 17 of P.L.1997, c.236 (C. 4:27-17), R.S.12:3-1 et seq., R.S.12:5-1 et seq., the “Pesticide Control Act of 1971,” P.L.1971, c.176 (C. 13:1F-1 et seq.), “The Wetlands Act of 1970,” P.L.1970, c.272 (C. 13:9A-1 et seq.), the “Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act,” P.L.1987, c.156 (C. 13:9B-1 et seq.), the “Coastal Area Facility Review Act,” P.L.1973, c.185 (C. 13:19-1 et seq.), the “Water Supply Management Act,” P.L.1981, c.262 (C. 58:1A-1 et seq.), the “Water Pollution Control Act,” P.L.1977, c.74 (C. 58:10A-1 et seq.), “The Realty Improvement Sewerage and Facilities Act (1954),” P.L.1954, c.199 (C. 58:11-23 et seq.), the “Water Quality Planning Act,” P.L.1977, c.75 (C. 58:11A-1 et seq.), the “Safe Drinking Water Act,” P.L.1977, c.224 (C. 58:12A-1 et seq.), or the “Flood Hazard Area Control Act,” P.L.1962, c.19 (C. 58:16A-50 et seq.), and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

c. Nothing in this act shall authorize any change in environmental or regulatory policy, standards, or requirements of any law subject to the aquaculture permitting review program, nor shall the permitting review program reduce or diminish any opportunities for public review and comment or public hearings currently required by those laws, any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or any programs established pursuant thereto.

L.2016, c.96, s.1.