(10/P145) TRENTON –The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting to discuss Somerset County's draft sewer service area map on Jan. 20, 2011, as part of planning efforts to update the Northeast, Upper Raritan and Lower Raritan/ Middlesex County, Water Quality Management Plans.

At issue will be a service area covering the following Somerset County municipalities: Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Franklin Township, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery Township, North Plainfield, Raritan, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Bound Brook, Warren Township and Watchung. Also covered are Highlands Region non-conforming municipalities, Bernards Township, Peapack-Gladstone, Bernardsville and a portion of Bedminster.

The map is a preliminary working draft. It was developed in coordination with and reviewed by DEP, Somerset County and the affected cities and towns. It reflects proposed changes in wastewater service area designations to eliminate conflicts with Category One waters, wetlands, threatened and endangered species habitats and other unique and rare ecological communities.

The draft is subject to change in response to information provided by the public. The preliminary working draft map can be viewed at: http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/planweb/wastewater/index.htm.

After the close of the public comment period, any final adjustments to the map will be made and a build out analysis will be developed for the delineated wastewater service areas to determine future wastewater treatment facility capacity needs. Based on that analysis, further refinements to the wastewater service area designations may be necessary.

The Jan. 20, 2011 public meeting will be held in the County Freeholders Conference Room, Third Floor of the Somerset County Administration Building, located at 20 Grove Street in Somerville, from 6-9 p.m. Another formal public comment process will take place prior to adoption.

The DEP and Somerset County officials will accept comments and information related to this map from the date of posting until Feb. 20, 2011, which is 30 days after the public meeting.

Sewer issues for the county's Highlands Region conforming towns, plus Far Hills and a portion of Bedminster that is within the Highlands Preservation Area, will not be subject to this public meeting.