(11/P14) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting to discuss Hunterdon County’s draft sewer service area map on Wednesday, March. 9, as part of planning efforts to update the Water Quality Management Plans for the Upper Delaware and Upper Raritan regions.

The meeting will give the public an opportunity to learn about and discuss the sewer service area map covering the following eight Hunterdon County municipalities that are located mostly or completely outside of the North Jersey Highlands region: Delaware, East Amwell, Flemington, Franklin, Frenchtown, Kingwood, Raritan and Readington.

The session also will include two additional municipalities that are located in the Highlands Planning Area: Alexandria and Milford.

All other Hunterdon County municipalities, which already have valid wastewater management plans, have submitted their draft wastewater management plans to the DEP prior to the adoption of revised Water Quality Management Rules, or are located in the Highlands Region and are conforming to the Highlands Regional Master Plan are not subject to this meeting.

The map to be discussed on March 9 is a preliminary, working draft, developed in coordination with and reviewed by DEP, Hunterdon County and the affected municipalities. The map 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. It can be viewed at: http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/planning/WasteWaterManagementPlan.htm.

As required, the Highlands Council will be provided an opportunity to review the draft sewer service area for consistency with the adopted Highlands Regional Master Plan for non-conforming municipalities that are located within the Highlands Region.

The March 9, public meeting will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. in the Hunterdon County Administration Building, Route 12 County Complex, Flemington Borough.

The DEP and Hunterdon County will accept comments and information related to this map from the date of the posting of this public notice until April 8, which is 30 days after the public meeting.