NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs  
State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
DEP Home | About DEP | Index by Topic | Programs/Units | DEP Online 
Phase Two: Moving Science into Action

Don't Let The
Sea Nettles Settle!

Sea nettle polyp
Instructional Video


Municipalities within the Watershed
Barnegat Township
Barnegat Light Borough
Bay Head Borough
Beach Haven Borough
Beachwood Borough
Berkeley Township
Brick Township
Eagleswood Township
Freehold Township
Harvey Cedars Borough
Howell Township
Island Heights Borough
Jackson Township
Lacey Township
Lakehurst Borough
Lakewood Township
Lavallette Borough
Little Egg Harbor Township
Long Beach Township
Manchester Township
Mantoloking Borough
Millstone Township
Ocean Gate Borough
Ocean Township
Pine Beach Borough
Plumsted Township
Point Pleasant Beach Borough
Point Pleasant Borough
Seaside Heights Borough
Seaside Park Borough
Ship Bottom Borough
South Toms River Borough
Stafford Township
Surf City Borough
Toms River Township
Tuckerton Borough
Wall Township

Barnegat Bay Phase One:
Governor's Ten-Point Plan

On December 9, 2010, Governor Chris Christie announced a comprehensive action plan to address the ecological health of the 660-square-mile Barnegat Bay watershed. The Administration has been aggressively implementing that plan including progress in scientific research, water quality monitoring and analysis, and implementation of stewardship projects, to storm water management efforts and purchasing of important lands for open space protection. Super Storm Sandy, however, further challenged this already impacted estuary. Barnegat Bay was one of the hardest hit areas in the state. Every municipality in the watershed was affected by the storm. Despite this, DEP and its partners continued to fulfill and carry out the objectives of the Governor's Action Plan. Accomplishments to date include:

  • Tens of millions of dollars for stormwater infrastructure and upgrades were made available to municipalities and the county;

  • Ten research projects were funded, the results of which will create one of the most comprehensive compilations of research on a single estuary;

  • Implementation of the toughest fertilizer law in the nation and standards for soil health and restoration have been proposed;

  • New Jersey's first comprehensive water monitoring network for both fresh and marine water quality was established with over 5,000 water samples taken and analyzed;

  • Acquision of more than 3,000 acres of open space in the Barnegat Bay watershed and a commitment to purchase 30,000 acres over the next 30 years;

  • A comprehensive public education program has been developed to raise awareness of the importance of the health of Barnegat Bay;

  • Five successful watershed-wide cleanups (the "Barnegat Bay Blitz") have been conducted resulting in thousands of pounds of litter being picked up, and

  • Three green boater compliance sweeps were conducted by State Park Police with the assistance of Conservation Officers, State Police and local police resulting in hundreds of stops where either warnings or summonses were issued.

For more information on each action item, click on the links below:

  1. Close Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant

  2. Fund Stormwater Runoff Mitigation Projects

  3. Reduce Nutrient Pollution from Fertilizer

  4. Require Post-Construction Soil Restoration

  5. Acquire Land in the Watershed

  6. Special Area Regional Planning

  7. Adopt More Rigorous Water Quality Standards

  8. Educate the Public

  9. Fill in the Gaps on Research

  10. Reduce Water Craft Impacts

Department: NJDEP Home | About DEP | Index by Topic | Programs/Units | DEP Online
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs

Copyright © State of New Jersey, 1996-2023

Last Updated: October 4, 2023