Participation Opportunities
Upcoming Administrative Order 2021-25 Public Hearings
January 11- SIMS Metal, Hudson County (virtual)
February 6 - Vicinity Energy, Mercer County (virtual)
Facilities subject to the Environmental Justice Law and the Administrative Order 2021-25 must facilitate meaningful opportunities for overburdened communities to engage in permitting decisions for pollution-generating facilities through an enhanced public participation process.
Comment Opportunities
EPA is seeking comment on funding programs for: fence line monitoring; multipollutant monitoring; air quality sensors; clean air act grants; air pollution at schools; methane monitoring; and emissions from wood heaters.
EPA also recently issued Requests for Information for the following four programs:
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Clean Heavy-Duty vehicle grant program provides $1 B for Class 6/7 EVs and workforce development. Comments due Jan 18.
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Port grant program which provides $3 B for purchase of zero emission technology at ports. Comments due Jan 18.
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Climate Pollution Reduction grant program which allocates $5 B to make and implement GHG reduction plans. Comments due Jan 18.
Public Comment Open for Inland Flood Protection Rule
On December 5, 2022, the Inland Flood Protection rule, meant to better protect New Jersey’s communities from worsening riverine flooding and stormwater runoff, was published in the New Jersey Register. Publication initiates a 60-day comment period that ends on February 3, 2023.
Funding Opportunities
Green Acres Opens 2023 Funding Round
The Green Acres Program is accepting applications for the 2023 Local and Nonprofit Assistance funding round for land acquisition, park development, stewardship, Jake’s Law (Inclusive Playgrounds), and Urban Parks projects. Funding for 2023 will be used to advance the DEP’s environmental justice and climate change priorities by prioritizing projects that offer equitable and meaningful public access, and maximize social, environmental and health benefits to the public. The deadline is March 1, 2023. Supplemental funding requests for active projects also are due on March 1st.
Upcoming application information sessions will be held on January 11th, February 1st, and February 22nd. Applications and details about the virtual sessions are posted on the Green Acres website.
Murphy Administration Announces More Than $8 Million to Build a Diverse, Inclusive Green Jobs Sector
Governor Phil Murphy’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy (OCAGE) and DEP announced the release of a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to support pilot programs to build a diverse, inclusive green workforce. Through the Building our Resilient, Inclusive, and Diverse Green Economy (NJ BRIDGE) initiative, a total of $5 million is available to fund scalable projects to support residents in the green workforce with a focus on engagement in overburdened communities.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will begin accepting applications on December 8 for a competitive grant program that will help New Jerseyans, particularly those in overburdened communities, develop skills for offshore wind careers. The $3.725 million Offshore Wind Workforce and Skills Development Grant Challenge (Grant Challenge) will offer grants to selected entities that will aid in launching or expanding workforce training and skills programs focused on strengthening and diversifying New Jersey’s offshore wind workforce.
Respondents are invited to submit proposals in response to this solicitation.
Multiple US Environmental Protection Agency Recycling
Infrastructure and Outreach Grants Available
The Biden-Harris administration announced the availability of grants to support recycling infrastructure and education and outreach grants. The new grant programs support improvements to local waste management systems and recycling education and outreach, meeting Congress’ goal to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system. The full press release for the announcement can be found online and applications are due by January 16, 2023.
New Funding for Nationwide Brownfields Technical Assistance, Research Grants, and Technical Assistance to Brownfields Providers
Last week, the US EPA announced Requests for Applications for $57 million in funding that is available for two new Brownfields technical assistance opportunities:
- Brownfields Technical Assistance and Research cooperative agreements, and
- Technical Assistance to Brownfields communities.
Applications for both funding opportunities are due by February 14, 2023. The Request for Application notices are now posted on the FY2023 Application Resources for Brownfields Technical Assistance page.
NJDEP Commissioner LaTourette Highlights Clean Water Investments
In an Op-Ed published in NJ.com, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette highlighted DEP's efforts to ensure every community has safe drinking water. NJ communities face many challenges to obtain consistent clean drinking water, such as aging infrastructure, PFAS and other forever chemical contamination, lead service lines that need to be removed, and more.
DEP launched the Water Infrastructure Investment Plan which is bringing critical water and sewer projects to communities across the Garden State. Additionally, DEP is partnering with the NJ Infrastructure Bank to leverage these offerings with private market funds. For more information about how to apply for the water infrastructure funding available, please visit this website.
EJ in the News
Murphy Administration Issues First Permits Implementing Long-Term Combined Sewer Reduction Plans
The Murphy Administration marked a milestone in improving the health of New Jersey’s waterways by issuing draft permits to address combined sewer overflows from the North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority Woodcliff Sewage Treatment Plant and the adjoining Town of Guttenberg along the Hudson River in Hudson County.
The draft New Jersey Pollutant Discharge System (NJPDES) renewal permits issued by the DEP are the first to be issued that lay out schedules for combined sewer overflow reduction projects under long-term plans to reduce or eliminate combined sewer discharges affecting surface water quality in urban parts of the state.
Draft NJPDES permit renewals for the Woodcliff plant and the Town of Guttenberg are available for inspection, by appointment which can be made online or by calling (609) 341-3121. Copies of the draft permits are available on the DEP’s Division of Water Quality website.
DEP will hold a virtual public hearing to solicit public comment on the draft permits on January 23, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, then again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (or end of testimony, whichever comes first). A link and a telephone number to the virtual public hearing will be provided on the Department’s NJPDES Division of Water Quality website the morning of the hearing.
Comments may be submitted in writing by the close of the public comment period to:
Susan Rosenwinkel, Chief, or Attention:
Comments on Public Notice NJ0029084 and/or NJ0108715
Mail Code 401-02B,
Division of Water Quality, Bureau of Surface Water & Pretreatment Permitting,
P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420
Comments via email are also acceptable and can be sent to dwq_bswp@dep.nj.gov
The public comment period is scheduled to end on February 13, 2023.
Murphy Administration Awards $9.95 Million In
American Rescue Plan Funds for Water Quality Improvement Projects
The DEP is awarding $9.95 million in grants to local government agencies, nonprofit groups, universities, and others to fund projects that will improve water quality and reduce the impacts of nonpoint source pollution from stormwater on publicly accessible lakes throughout New Jersey.
More than $8 million of the grants will fund projects on lakes in or next to overburdened communities in New Jersey, resulting in improved water quality and increased recreational opportunities for residents of these communities. For more information about the grants and the awardees, please see the press release.
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All New Jersey residents, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, have a right to live, work, and recreate in a clean and healthy environment. Historically, New Jersey’s low-income communities and communities of color face a disproportionately high number of environmental and public health stressors and, as a result, suffer from increased adverse health effects. New Jersey seeks to correct these outcomes by furthering the promise of environmental justice.
DEP’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) aims to improve the quality of life in New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities by educating and empowering communities who are often outside of government decision-making processes and guiding DEP’s programs and other state departments and agencies in implementing environmental justice.
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