New Jersey § 13:18a-50

§ 13:18a-50.

a. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, utilizing any monies that may be

made available from any source for the purpose, may acquire on behalf of the State

from willing sellers any land or interest therein that qualifies for acquisition pursuant

to the limited practical use program for the pinelands area as set forth in section

502(k)(2)(C) of the “National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978,” Pub.L.95-625 ( 16 U.S.C. § 471i(k)(2)(C) ), and pay any necessary costs associated with those acquisitions. The commissioner may not expend more than $100,000 on any single acquisition pursuant

to this subsection without the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or

its successor. For the purposes of this act, “ limited practical use ” means the designation given to any land or interest therein that has limited practical

use because it is located in the pinelands area and is held by a landowner who both

owns less than 50 acres in the pinelands area and has exhausted existing remedies

to secure relief, or has such meaning as may be otherwise provided by federal law. b. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, if the commissioner

determines that the costs for surveys, appraisals, or other technical or administrative

processes, procedures, or matters associated with the proposed acquisition of any

land or interest therein pursuant to subsection a. of this section are disproportionate

to the estimated cost of the land or interest therein to be acquired, the commissioner

may waive the surveys, appraisals, or other technical or administrative processes,

procedures, or matters to the extent necessary to ensure that the transaction shall

be cost effective; provided, however, that the current owner of record has marketable

title to the land or interest therein at issue, as verified by a 60-year search.