Senior Director of Planning and Science

Prior to joining the Council staff, Dan was with the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, where for over eight years he managed source water and watershed protection programs in the Raritan River Basin and Manasquan River watershed, and also represented the Authority on various watershed and statewide public advisory committees for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.   Dan’s prior experience also includes over twelve years with the NJDEP; six of those were as Assistant Administrator of the Office of Environmental Planning, with responsibilities for statewide water resources planning along with administrative management.  At NJDEP he was responsible for the Ground Water Quality Standards, the Well Head Protection Program Plan, the Statewide Water Supply Plan, Wastewater Management Planning and other programs.  Dr. Van Abs was Technical Director of the Passaic River Coalition, a non-profit watershed association, for four years prior to joining NJDEP.

Dan holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and is a licensed New Jersey Professional Planner and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.  He also serves as a public member of the New Jersey Clean Water Council by appointment of the Governor.