Vol. 7 No. 3 Winter 1999
A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs

With N.J.A.C. 7:22 scheduled to expire in August 2000, the DEP and the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (Trust) are proposing to readopt the chapter, which contains the rules governing assistance for the construction of environmental infrastructure facilities such as wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, and nonpoint source pollution abatement projects. These rules include the DEP and Trust's grant and loan application and award procedures. The proposal will include the addition of amendments to expand the scope of nonpoint source projects eligible for financial assistance through the Environmental Infrastructure Program and to clarify other provisions of the rule.

N.J.A.C. 7:22 has 10 subchapters. N.J.A.C. 7:22-1 is reserved. N.J.A.C. 7:22-2 are the rules that establish the matching State grants program for projects that receive Federal Grants. N.J.A.C. 7:22-3, 4 and 5 are the rules pertaining to the Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program. N.J.A.C. 7:22-6 and 7 are the rules governing the Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Program. N.J.A.C 7:22-8 establishes minimum standards of conduct for wastewater utilities officers, employees, agents and members. N.J.A.C. 7:22-9 are the rules which govern socially and economically disadvantaged contractor participation requirements pursuant to this chapter and N.J.A.C. 7:22A (Sewage Infrastructure Improvement Act rules). N.J.A.C. 7:22-10, which establishes environmental assessment requirement, applies to all wastewater projects which receive financial assistance pursuant to this chapter and N.J.A.C. 7:22A.

In addition to readopting the rules, the DEP and the Trust are proposing a number of amendments to broaden project eligibilities into such areas as landfills (for closure activities and new cell construction), land acquisition, site remediation (including brownfields), and well sealing.

A public hearing regarding the proposed readoption of N.J.A.C 7:22, with amendments, will be held on March 1, 2000 at 10:00 a.m. at the Trust's offices located at 3131 Princeton Pike, Building 6, Suite 201 in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. A complete copy of the rule proposal will be available in the NJ Register on February 7, 2000 and the division's Web site at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq.

For more information, contact Theresa Fenton, Chief, Bureau of Program Development and Technical Services at (609) 292-3859.