(11/P41) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting to discuss Ocean County's draft sewer service area map on Thursday, April 21, as part of a planning effort to update the Wastewater Management Plan for the county.

At issue will be a service area covering the following 15 Ocean County municipalities: Barnegat Light, Barnegat, Berkeley, Eagleswood, Harvey Cedars, Jackson, Lacey, Lakewood, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach, Manchester, Ocean Township, Surf City, Toms River and Tuckerton

The map to be discussed on April 21 is a preliminary working draft, developed by DEP and reviewed by Ocean County and the affected municipalities. 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.planning.co.ocean.nj.us/watershed/wwmgt.htm.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Mancini Hall in the Ocean County Library, Toms River Branch, at 101 Washington Street in Toms River.

The DEP and Ocean County will accept comments and information related to the maps from the date of the public notice posting. Written comments can be sent to: WQM Program Docket, Division of Land Use Planning, Department of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 420, 401 East State Street, Mail Code 401-07B, Trenton, New Jersey 08625, with a copy sent to Ms. Stacy Perrine, Ocean County Department of Planning, at 129 Hooper Avenue, P O Box 2191, Toms River, NJ 08754.

All comments must be submitted by May 21, which is 30 days after the public meeting.