New Jersey Discharger - Vol. 7 No. 2 A

	Vol. 7 No. 2 Fall 1999
A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs

Financing for Landfill Projects Available

The New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program is expanding program eligibility to include water quality protection measures at publicly owned landfills next year. Through the program, low-interest loans will be available for projects that protect ground and surface water from the effects of runoff at landfills.

Water near landfills may be susceptible to nonpoint source pollution that results when precipitation picks up sediments, nutrients, bacteria, chemicals, or metals and conveys them to water bodies. These sources of pollution are often diffuse and difficult to control.

Nonpoint source pollution may pose a problem at landfills that have not been properly covered or do not have adequate leachate controls. Runoff from landfills can threaten local surface waters or can leach through waste piles and contaminate groundwater. Limiting runoff and leachate is the key to controlling pollution from landfills.

Nonpoint pollution controls at landfills are designed to limit the contact between precipitation and waste, and to control runoff. Properly capping landfills eliminates contact, while leachate and runoff controls contain contaminated water before it reaches ground and surface water. The Financing Program can participate in costs related to the following water quality improvement aspects of landfill closure projects:

Landfill capping systems

Leachate collection, storage and treatment systems
Side slope seepage prevention and controls

Gas condensate systems

Active and passive gas collection systems (up to the point of sale or conversion)
Monitoring wells and equipment
Landfill reclamation/reduction in lieu of landfill capping
Stormwater runoff controls
Intermediate cover prior to final closure

Before any landfill closure project is approved under the Financing Program, the project sponsor must have a landfill closure plan for the entire site approved by the Department's Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste.

The Financing Program also provides loans for wastewater and drinking water projects as well as nonpoint source pollution abatement measures. These loans are generally for a 20 year term. The combined zero-interest rate DEP loan and the market rate loan from the N.J. Environmental Infrastructure Trust result in financing at 50% of the rate the Trust receives on its AAA rated tax-exempt bonds, a much lower rate than individual borrowers could receive on their own.

Any general questions regarding the Financing Program should be directed to Scott Shymon from the Division of Water Quality's Municipal Finance and Construction Element at (609) 292-3859. Any questions regarding landfill closure plan approval should be directed to Thomas Sherman, Assistant Director, Permitting and Technical Programs, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste at (609) 984-5950. Questions regarding the financial aspects of the Financing Program should be directed to Dirk C. Hofman, Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust at (609) 219-8600.

Articles appearing in the New Jersey Discharger may be reprinted provided source credit is given.

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Last revision Monday, August 30, 1999