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WAGNER BILL TO PRESERVE BERGEN COUNTY FARMLAND SIGNED INTO LAW

Bills Provides $1.5M for Bergen County Preservation Efforts

(38th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT) – Legislation Assemblywoman Connie Wagner sponsored to help preserve Bergen County farmland was signed into law on Wednesday.
The bill (A-4060) appropriates $39 million to provide planning incentive grants to counties for up to 80 percent of the cost of buying development rights for farmland preservation purposes. The money was approved by voters as part of the Green Acres program.
“Farming is our heritage, and voters have made clear they’re committed to preserving that heritage amid the ever-present threat of development in the nation’s most densely populated state,” said Wagner (D-Bergen). “I share the commitment to preserving our farmland and look forward to seeing this effort to protect this reDest prove its worth in the years to come. It will mean less sprawl, a cleaner environment and an improved quality-of-life.”
The money provided by the law will be used to provide planning incentive grants to 16 counties.
In Bergen County this includes $1.5 million for projects in Allendale, Closter, Emerson, Franklin Lakes, Hillsdale, Mahwah, Montvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Paramus, River Vale, Saddle River, Woodcliff Lake and Wyckoff.
“The benefits of farmland preservation extend beyond borders,” Wagner said. “This voter-approved funding will benefit this entire region, which is why I’m so pleased to see it become law.”