(11/P32) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting to discuss Gloucester County's draft sewer service area map on Monday, March 21, as part of a planning effort to update the Wastewater Management Plan for this county.

At issue will be a service area covering all or parts of 11 Gloucester County municipalities: Elk, East Greenwich, Franklin, Greenwich, Harrison, Logan, Monroe, Newfield, Swedesboro, South Harrison and Woolwich.

The map to be discussed on March 21 is a preliminary working draft, developed by the DEP and reviewed by Gloucester County and the affected cities and towns. It reflects proposed changes in wastewater service area designations to eliminate conflicts with Category One waters, wetlands, threatened and endangered species habitats, and other unique and rare ecological communities.

The draft is subject to change in response to information provided by the public. The preliminary working draft map can be viewed at: http://www.gc-wmpmaps.com/folderB.html.

The meeting will take place at the Gloucester County Office of Government Services auditorium, 1200 North Delsea Drive, in Clayton, from 5-8 p.m.

Another formal public comment process will take place prior to adoption. The DEP and Gloucester County will accept comments and information related to this map from the date of the posting of the public notice until April 20, which is 30 days after the public meeting.