[SRRA]: Feb 2015 Revised Technical Guidance for Ecological Evaluations

The Department announces the availability of revised Technical Guidance for Ecological Evaluations (2015). Revisions to this Guidance were made by the Ecological Evaluation Technical Guidance Committee, which consists of NJDEP staff and Stakeholder representatives. Updates include greater detail than the previous version for background and reference location selection, historic fill evaluation, wildlife receptor selection, and risk management decisions. A new section under "Special Circumstances" has been added for Mercury sites, and new guidance for the expression of concentration as wet weight vs. dry weight is also provided. The definition of Environmentally Sensitive Natural Resource (ESNR) has been modified slightly and the request to report the stream classification and antidegradation status of a water body is now included to be consistent with the Receptor Evaluation form. The issue of deed notice requirements in Environmentally Sensitive Natural Areas has also been addressed.

This Technical Guidance can be accessed on the Site Remediation webpage in the Guidance Library section
(https://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/)

Technical guidance may be used immediately upon issuance. However, the Department recognizes the challenge of using newly issued technical guidance when a remediation affected by the guidance may have already been conducted or is currently in progress. To provide for the reasonable implementation of new or revised technical guidance, the Department will allow a 6-month "phase-in" period between the date the technical guidance is issued and the time it should be used.

SRP Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) Web site: https://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/