NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Land Use Management
Division of Water Supply
Bureau of Water Systems & Well Permitting

Notice of Rule Proposal
Well Construction and Maintenance; Sealing of Abandoned Wells Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:9D

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to readopt the Well Construction and Maintenance; Sealing of Abandoned Wells rules, N.J.A.C. 7:9D, with amendments. These rules implement the provisions of the Subsurface and Percolating Waters Act, N.J.S.A. 58:4A-4.1 et seq., which authorizes a regulatory program for the permitting of well drilling activities and the licensing of well drillers and pump installers; establishes technical requirements; includes standards and procedures for the installation and construction of wells and well pumping equipment; and sets forth the technical requirements and standards for the decommissioning and sealing of wells. The proposed amendments modify the permit application and licensing fee schedules, and eliminate the apprentice requirement for prospective well drillers.  In addition, the amendments set forth requirements for providing well location coordinates on well permits and well records, effective 2008.

The proposal is scheduled for publication in the New Jersey Register on October 16, 2006. A copy of the proposal is available from the Bureau of Water Systems & Well Permitting at (609)984-6831, and also may be accessed through the Department's web site(PDF).

A public hearing concerning the proposal is scheduled as follows:

Thursday, November 2, 2006
1:00 P.M. until close of comments
Public Hearing Room, 1st Floor
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Written comments may be submitted until December 15, 2006 to:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Oneida Cuevas, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 15-06-08/477
Office of Legal Affairs
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402