MORRIS COUNTY — Under a bill released by the Assembly Budget Committee recently, Local governments could use open space trust fund money to remediate collapsed mine shafts and sinkholes on their property.
The legislation (A5649), sponsored by Assemblyman Christian Barranco, comes in response to the recent devastating 1-80 collapse in Wharton caused by several sinkholes that caused intermittent road closures between December 2024 and the end of June. The closures not only impacted the daily commute of tens of thousands of drivers but also hurt local businesses.
“North Jersey was once home to a thriving mining industry, predating the Revolutionary War, that unfortunately left behind hundreds of abandoned mines,” Barranco (R-Morris) said. “It’s when, not if, other towns and counties have to deal with remediating these shafts, they should have quick access to funds to fix the problem, because it’s an expensive problem to fix.”
The repairs along I-80 cost about $150,000 per day.
Many of the state’s 565 municipalities and all 21 counties have a voter-approved dedicated open space trust fund, levied at up to six cents per $100 valuation. Under current law, those funds may be used to preserve open space, farmland, or historic sites, to develop parks, and to protect floodplains.
Barranco’s bill would allow those local governments to use funds for mineshaft remediation and sinkhole repairs without voter approval. However, those bodies would be required to adopt a resolution or ordinance and comply with public notice requirements.
“Allowing governments to use these funds ensures the safety of our communities and protects our public lands. These funds, rooted in the public’s commitment to preserving our environment, should extend to stabilizing the ground beneath us, preventing disasters like those on I-80 and safeguarding infrastructure and lives,” Barranco said.
