Administrative Order 2002-20 to Ammend and Supplement
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS 2002-18
I,
Bradley M. Campbell, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection (Department), pursuant to the authority
vested in me by Executive
Order No. 11, issued by Governor James E. McGreevey on March
4, 2002, the Water Supply Management Act, N.J.S.A. 58:1A-1 et
seq., and its implementing rules, N.J.A.C. 7:19, hereby supplement
previously issued Administrative
Order No. 2002-18, imposing Phase I - Mandatory Water Use
Restrictions. This Administrative Order is intended to supplement Administrative Order
No. 2002-18. Except as specifically provided herein, the
provisions of Administrative
Order No. 2002-18 shall remain in effect. I have determined
this Order to be necessary to ensure an adequate water supply
to the State, to alleviate the water emergency and to be in
the public interest.
As
described in Executive
Order No. 11, New Jersey is divided into six Drought Regions
based upon watershed location and other conditions relevant
to water supply. The boundaries of these Drought Regions and
the municipalities included within each region can be viewed
on the DEP drought web page at www.njdrought.org.
Due
to a lack of precipitation since late June, the State continues
to be threatened with drought, making open burning increasingly
risky. The dry conditions increase the risk that a fire could
spread out of control. Therefore, through this Order I am reinstating
restrictions on open burning. Limited exemptions are provided,
primarily for permitted agricultural burning and campfires under
controlled conditions. Agricultural burning is important for
disposal of herbaceous and woody plant material that may be
diseased or infested, or that may pose a fire hazard later in
the year. In addition, the exemption is conditioned on obtaining
a permit from the NJ Forest Fire Service.
The
restrictions in this Order apply uniformly Statewide.
I
hereby order the following:
SECTION I. Statewide Water Use Restrictions
The following restrictions and authorizations apply in
all six Drought Regions:
- - 13. No change.
- In accordance with N.J.S.A. Title
13, Chapter 9 (Forest Fire Laws) and N.J.A.C. Title
7, Chapter 27, Subchapter 2 (Control and Prohibition
of Open Burning), open burning is hereby prohibited,
with the following exceptions:
A. Outdoor barbecues;
B. Permits authorized for religious ceremonies; and
C. Agricultural open burning and campfires, provided:
- The Buildup Index is below 40;
- The local New Jersey Forest Fire Service
Firewarden has been contacted and has approved the
specific burn;
- For agricultural burning, the appropriate
permit has been obtained from the New Jersey Forest
Fire Service Divisional Headquarters, and from the
local municipality if required; and
- For a campfire, the fire shall be, at a
minimum, within a prepared fire ring at a campground,
and authorized and permitted by the local NJ Forest
Fire Service Firewarden or their designee.
This Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain
in effect until superseded or terminated by my action
or by action of the Governor of the State of New Jersey. |
Date: August 8, 2002 |
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Bradley
M. Campbell
Commissioner |
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