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Clean Water Council to
Hold Hearing on Stormwater Management
Wednesday, Dec. 12, Jamesburg
The New Jersey Clean Water Council will
hold a public hearing on how individuals and municipalities
can help control stormwater runoff on Wednesday, December
12, at 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Jamesburg (Middlesex
County).
As part of the state’s efforts to
reduce nonpoint sources of pollution such as runoff from
development, lawns and roadways, the state is looking at
ways to further coordinate efforts to reduce environmental
impacts.
The Clean Water Council holds an annual
hearing on water quality issues and makes recommendations
to the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP). In mailings to municipalities and interested parties,
the council asked that commenters at the hearing focus on
questions such as: What actions are you willing to take
to improve water quality? Where should stormwater runoff
go? Who should be the lead entity? What should be done about
existing development?
DEP is currently updating the existing
Stormwater Management Rules rules, which govern the development
of municipal and regional stormwater management plans and
ordinances. Proposed revisions are expected to be announced
for public comment this spring for improved stormwater pollution
control from new development through consistent design and
performance standards for limiting runoff, and criteria
for developing stormwater management plans.
“Stormwater management is an important
part of the Watershed Management Area plans that are being
developed through regional agencies and advisory committees
to improve water quality throughout the state. Municipal
participation is necessary to control runoff from development
and promote the use of preventive practices to minimize
impacts to streams and allow for sufficient groundwater
recharge,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Shinn.
The revised rules are being developed in
coordination stormwater amendments to the New Jersey Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) rules. Under current
regulations, most new development and redevelopment is subject
to some degree of runoff and water quality remediation.
To protect and improve water resources, additional courses
of action will need to address stormwater pollution from
existing development. The council is looking for input on
how additional measures should be achieved and funded.
The Holiday Inn-Monroe is located at 390
Forsgate Drive, Jamesburg, off of exit 8A of the New Jersey
Turnpike. For those who wish to make comments at the hearing,
please contact Ursula Montis, DEP’s Division of Watershed
Management, at 609-633-7020 or by e-mail at cleanwater@dep.state.nj.us.
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