TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Residents living near Barnegat Bay may soon get a financial incentive to rip out their grass. A new bill sponsored by Senator James W. Holzapfel (R–Monmouth, Ocean) would grant an annual $250 state income tax credit to homeowners who replace their traditional lawns with stones, crushed shells, or other low-maintenance materials.
The proposed legislation targets properties within 1,000 feet of Barnegat Bay and its tributaries, an area long plagued by runoff pollution. The tax credit would apply to homeowners who eliminate grass lawns to reduce fertilizer and pesticide use — substances identified by environmental officials as key contributors to the bay’s ecological decline.
According to the bill, the goal is to curb nitrogen and chemical runoff that seeps into the waterway from residential landscaping. Homeowners who have already replaced their lawns with non-vegetative materials before the bill’s enactment would also qualify for the credit, providing an ongoing yearly benefit.
Barnegat Bay, one of New Jersey’s most fragile coastal ecosystems, has faced decades of environmental stress from overdevelopment, algae blooms, and nutrient pollution. Environmental groups have supported similar initiatives to encourage “Bay-friendly” landscaping that reduces the use of fertilizers and irrigation.
The Division of Taxation, working with the Department of Environmental Protection, would define the eligible zone and oversee implementation of the credit once the measure takes effect.
Holzapfel said the recurring tax credit is designed to motivate property owners to make lasting changes that directly benefit the health of Barnegat Bay without mandating costly regulation.
The bill would give homeowners near Barnegat Bay a $250 annual tax credit for replacing grass lawns with eco-friendly materials to reduce fertilizer runoff.
