State of New Jersey
Executive Order #137

Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco

WHEREAS, on July 18, 2000, the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act, P.L. 2000, c.72 ("Act"), became law and established a new funding formula and construction options for school facilities projects; and

WHEREAS, the Act commits significant State and local resources to address the compelling, urgent need to construct new school facilities, and rehabilitate existing school facilities; and

WHEREAS many school facility projects to date have been approved for funding pursuant to the Act in order to address these compelling needs; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 215 confirms that the intended benefit of Executive Order 215 results from environmental assessments performed prior to the time of approval; and

WHEREAS a reasonable balancing of public policy considerations in harmony with reasonable cost and time efficiencies, including protecting taxpayers' investments, requires clarification as contained in this Order.

THEREFORE, I, Donald T. DiFrancesco, President of the Senate, Acting Governor of the State of New Jersey, in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of the State of New Jersey:

  1. Declare and proclaim that any school facilities project which receives approval from the Commissioner of Education on or before December 18, 2001, shall be exempted from the requirements of Executive Order 215; and

  2. This Order shall take effect immediately.


GIVEN, under my hand and seal this day of
in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand One,
and of the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Sixth.


/s/ Donald T. DiFrancesco
Acting Governor

[seal]

Attest:

/s/ James A. Harkness

Chief Counsel to the Governor