 | Vol. 4 No. 3 Winter 1996 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
The DEP continues to expand and implement the National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) in a move to facilitate the transition to goal-oriented environmental management. This system encourages priority setting and data-driven decisions by focusing on key environmental issues, goal-setting and the use of indicators to report progress and address key issues. NEPPS consists of three principle components: a Self-Assessment of New Jersey’s Environment and DEP Programs; an NJ Environmental Performance Partnership Agreement (PPA); and a Performance Partnership Grant (PPG). Under NEPPS, the EPA’s role is shifting from oversight of activity-oriented workplans (permit actions, enforcement cases, etc.) to partners in goal-oriented agreements (actual environmental measurements). In addition, stakeholder input is being sought on all aspects of NEPPS though workshops, focus groups and electronic communications. This is a significant change from the traditional system of program-specific workplans negotiated by EPA and DEP, without public involvement. (The 1996 Spring and Summer issues of the New Jersey Discharger described NEPPS in detail.)
The DEP is completing its first comprehensive Self-Assessment which discusses key environmental issues and program strengths and limitations in surface and ground water, drinking water, air, land and natural resources, site remediation, waste management, pesticides and radiation. Through the summer and early fall, the DEP hosted 7 focus group sessions to obtain stakeholder input on the Self-Assessment, indicator selections and PPA development. Participants included representatives of the Green and Gold Task Force, environmental organizations, business, industry, agriculture, academics, federal, state and local agencies.
The Self-Assessment’s key environmental issues and program assessments were used to frame the 1997-98 PPA, which outlines DEP’s and EPA’s goal-oriented activities and names environmental indicators that will be used to measure environmental progress. Most activity aspects of the PPA have been approved by EPA, while indicators and stakeholder involvement components are currently being evaluated and are expected to be finalized by December 1996. The Water Resources PPA includes commitments to commence the implementation of watershed management, conduct cooperative monitoring with EPA and improve monitoring programs. The DEP is also exploring methods for allocating EPA grant resources under the Performance Partnership Grant (PPG).
An Indicators Appendix to the Self Assessment is expected to be released in early 1997. This document will include status and trends indicators for ambient environmental conditions, pollutant loadings, and agency-regulated community and citizen responses to environmental problems.
NEPPS documents can be obtained from the DEP’s Division of Science and Research by calling (609) 984-6071, or via the DEP’s Bulletin Board at (609) 292-2006 (modem setting at 8, data bits 8, N parity, stop bit 1). Comments on NEPPS documents are most welcome and can be submitted to DEP’s Division of Science and Research, CN 409, Trenton, NJ 08025-0409, faxed to (609) 292-7340 or e-mailed to njnepps@dep.state.nj.us. Comments may also be submitted to EPA, Attn: Dennis Santella, Strategic Planning Team Leader, 290 Broadway, NY, NY 10007-1866, faxed to (212) 637-3771 or e-mailed to santella.dennis@epamail.epa.gov.