(11/P19) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting to discuss Ocean County’s draft sewer service area map on Thursday, March 10, as part of a planning effort to update the Wastewater Management Plan for this county.

The meeting will give the public an opportunity to learn about and discuss the sewer service area map covering 17 municipalities:  Bay Head, Beach Haven, Beachwood, Brick, Island Heights, Lakehurst, Lavalette, Mantaloking, Ocean Gate, Pine Beach, Plumsted, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom and South Toms River.

The remaining Ocean County municipalities will be covered in a separate future meeting.

The map to be discussed on March 10 is a preliminary, working draft, developed in coordination with and reviewed by the DEP, Ocean County and the affected municipalities. The map reflects proposed changes in wastewater service area designations to eliminate conflicts with environmentally sensitive areas and local planning objectives. The preliminary working draft map can be viewed at: http://www.planning.co.ocean.nj.us/watershed/wwmgt.htm.

This is not a public hearing. It is a public information session where residents and developers can view maps and ask questions concerning the proposed changes in sewer service area designation.

The meeting will take place at Mancini Hall in the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch, located at 101 Washington Street, Toms River Township between 5:30-8:30 pm. The Department and County will accept comments and information related to this map from the date of posting until April 10, 2011, 30 days after the public meeting.