Saturday, August 10, 2024 marked the 20th Anniversary of the passage and signing of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act.

To recognize this significant milestone, the Highlands Council invited municipal, county, and nonprofit leaders to attend a 20th Anniversary Summit to review progress on implementation of the Act as well as challenges for the future. Recordings from the panel discussion and the State of the Highlands presentation are avilable below. Slides from the day's presentations are also available below.

Panel: Reflections on the Highlands Act
Moderator: John Weingart
Panelists: Michele Byers, Senator Bob Smith, Senator John F. McKeon
Video (ambient room audio)
High-quality audio only (mp3) Voices in order of appearance: John Weingart, Michele Byers, Senator Bob Smith, Senator John F. McKeon

State of the Highlands
Highlands Council Executive Director Ben Spinelli
Video (ambient room audio) 
Presentation Slides (pdf)

Implementation Success Story: Hunterdon County - presentation slides
Marc Saluk, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, Hunterdon County Economic Development and Tourism
John Lanza, Hunterdon County Commissioner
Paul Muir, Mayor, Bethlehem Township

Agriculture in the Highlands - presentation slides
Frank Pinto, President, Pinto Consulting LLC

Preview of Highlands Region Branding Project - presentation slides
Will Ketchum, President, North Star Place Branding + Marketing

• P.L. 2019, c.136 (June 26, 2019): Extends expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation program through June 30, 2024 for lands in the Highlands Region. [see C.13:8C-38j.(1), page 16]
• P.L.2015, c.5 (February 5, 2015): Extends expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation program through June 30, 2019 for lands in the Highlands Region.
• P.L.2010, c.70 (Sept. 9, 2010): Extends expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation programs from 2009 to 2014 for lands in the Highlands Region.
• P.L. 2010, c.7 (May 5, 2010): Authorizes any municipality outside the Highlands Region to establish receiving zones for Highlands Transfer of Development Rights program.
• P.L. 2010, c.4 (April 22, 2010): Exempts solar panels from impervious surface or impervious cover designation.
• P.L. 2009, c.256 (January 17, 2010): Adds Forest Stewardship Plans to Exemption 7 of the Highlands Act.

There are a number of Administrative Codes (Rules) that relate to implementation of the Highlands Act. The Highlands Council works in collaboration with other state agencies to ensure coordination of activities and programs affecting the Highlands.

• Open Space Program Rules (N.J.A.C. 7:70)
  
  • Official text as published in April 18, 2016 New Jersey Register (includes Summary of Public Comments and Agency Responses)
  • Readoption Notice - 2023
• NJDEP Highlands Rules - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act Rules (N.J.A.C. 7:38)
• Highlands Agricultural Rules - New Jersey Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Development in the Highlands (N.J.A.C. 2:92)

> SEPTEMBER 2022 - EPA Aluminum Criteria
Subject: Amend the Highlands Regional Master Plan (RMP) to require monitoring and compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA's) Final aluminum criteria cited by the petitioner for regulated activities that disturb soils, generate stormwater, and/or result in point and non-point discharge of pollutants to wetlands and surface waters, including development and forest management activities. Petitioner also requests amendments to certain DEP regulations and the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) related to same.

Petitioner: Bill Wolfe
Petition Received: Petition Document (pdf)
Register Publication: Notice of Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking (pdf)
Notice of Action:  Notice of Action on Petition for Rulemaking (pdf)
This Notice of Action was also sent to the Office of Administrative Law on 11/7/22 for publication in the next New Jersey Register.

> MARCH 2022 - Wildfire Hazard Areas
Subject: Adopt Rules Limiting or Prohibiting Development in Certain Wildfire Hazard Areas; Mandating Retrofit of State-of-the-Art Fire Prevention Practices on Existing Development in Certain Wildfire Hazard Areas; and Requiring Monitoring and Reporting of Emissions of Air Pollutants from Wildfires and Prescribed Burns

Petitioner: Bill Wolfe
Petition Received: Petition Document (pdf)
Register Publication: Notice of Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking (pdf)
Notice of Action: Notice of Action on Petition for Rulemaking (pdf)
This Notice of Action was also sent to the Office of Administrative Law on 5/3/22 for publication in the next New Jersey Register.

• Executive Order #114 (Sept. 5, 2008): Required the Highlands Council and other State agencies to coordinate implementation of the Highlands Regional Master Plan. It also required the Highlands Council and Council on Affordable Housing to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding and provided $10 million in initial funding to the Highlands Development Credit Bank.