On October 17, 2006, Governor Jon S. Corzine authorized the adoption of new environmental requirements to be met by child care center providers as part of the Department of Children and Families' licensing regulations for child care centers.

On January 11, 2007, Governor Corzine signed a bill into law requiring environmental investigations of certain buildings or sites that are to be used as child care centers or schools.

The department’s January 31, 2007 letter to Construction Officials provides guidance. The department’s August 24, 2007 letter provides further instruction, and provides model letters for the Construction Officials’ use in responding to child care center licensee requests.

Communication to Construction Officials
* 01/31/07 letter
* 08/24/07 letter

Model Letters
* Potentially hazardous prior use(s) of record
* No record of potentially hazardous prior use(s)

NJ UCC [Use] Group Classifications/Designations (see Chapter 3)

Further information regarding these requirements may be found at:
* P.L.2007,c.1 -- An Act establishing environmental evaluation procedures and standards for buildings or sites to be used for child-care centers or schools
* Department of Children and Families: Child Care Center Requirements -- Physical Plant Requirement for all Centers.
* Department of Environmental Protection's Site Remediation Reform Act & Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Program -- Known Contaminated Sites in NJ Reports
* Department of Environmental Protection's Child Care Facility Grant Application from the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund
* Department of Health [and Senior Services] interim guidance -- Indoor Environmental Health Assessments of Child Care Centers 

If you have a question concerning a specific building, please contact the Construction Official of the municipality in which the building is located. Click here for the current listing of NJ’s local Construction Officials.

If you have a general question concerning building designations or the applicability of these new requirements, please contact the division’s Code Assistance Unit at (609) 984-7609, or contact us by e-mail at:  codeassist@dca.nj.gov