Community Relations

DIVISION: Communications and Systems Application
GENERAL PHONE NUMBER: (609) 984-3081
FAX NUMBER: (609) 292-4401
WEB SITE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The office provides effective two-way outreach and communication with the public including federal, state and local officials, concerned residents and the media relative to contaminated sites and related remediation issues. The office receives calls from local officials, municipal staff and citizens to get information on contaminated sites in their neighborhoods.

General Questions Line - The office staff is assigned to specific cases within the program to provide a direct line of communication to get information about a site or discuss concerns regarding the remediation process. The list of assigned sites is available at www.nj.gov/dep/srp/community/sites. If a site of interest is not on the list, please call OCR for further assistance

Outreach and Education Programs - Among the programs the office offers to municipalities, The Homeowner Tank Workshop provides an overview of the department's remediation requirements for the cleanup of heating oil discharges from residential underground storage tanks. The presentation also includes information about the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Remediation, Upgrade & Closure Fund (UST Fund), a grant and loan program available to both homeowners and commercial property owners for funding remediation of contamination caused by leaking underground storage tanks. The program also covers the recent legislative changes that have added a non-leaking tank component to the UST Fund, which awards grants for the proactive removal and replacement of homeowner heating oil tanks.

MONETARY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:

None

PERMITTING RESPONSIBILITIES:

None

PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE:

Why Yank That Tank? The Remediation Process: Responsible Party Cases This document is available upon request or online at: www.nj.gov/dep/srp/community/basics/srbasics_rp.htm

The Remediation of Publicly Funded Cases (Superfund and Non-Superfund). This document is available upon request or online at: www.nj.gov/dep/srp/community/basics/srbasics_pf.htm

Encouraging Public Notification in Site Remediation. This document is available upon request or online at: www.nj.gov/dep/srp/community/guidance/pnsrguide.htm
The Top 10: Site Remediation Program Websites

The Childcare Licensing web site offers a number of useful links about new environmental responsibilities for those wishing to open or renew a license to operate a childcare center in the state. The document is available upon request or online.

The Community Relations Site Listing provides a summary of cases where community relations coordinators are directly involved in cases. These are primarily Superfund or state-led (publicly funded) remediations, but may also include cases where OCR staff has become involved at the request of the municipality or for reasons of special concern. The list, by county and municipality, can be found online. Highly active sites may also have descriptions on the general office web site.