Participation Opportunities
Upcoming Administrative Order 2021-25 Public Hearings
January 11- SIMS Metal, Hudson County (virtual)
January 19 - Linden Sanitary Landfill (in person) en español
January 25 - Montclair State University (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
Public Comment Open for Inland Flood Protection Rule
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.
NJDEP will hold a public hearing on January 11 at 1:00 p.m. Once available, the meeting link will be posted here.
Publication initiates a 60-day comment period that ends on February 3.
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.
Comment Period Extended and Electronic Submission Option for Settlement from Former Ciba-Geigy Chemical Plant in Toms River
The comment period for the proposed Natural Resource Damages Settlement at Ciba Geigy Toms River Superfund Site has been extended from 30 days to 60 days, making the final submission deadline February 3. Comments may now also be submitted either electronically or as a hard copy.
Electronic Submission:
Commenters should provide their name and submit comments to: onrr@dep.nj.gov
Hard Copy Submission:
David Bean, Chief, Office of Natural Resource Restoration, NJDEP
501 East State Street, Mail Code 501-03, PO Box 420,
Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.
View the December 5 Press Release and Proposed Settlement Resources for more information.
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) began 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.
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. The Request for Application notices are now posted on the FY2023 Application Resources for Brownfields Technical Assistance page.
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.
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 Pollutant Discharge System (NJPDES) Division of Water Quality website the morning of the hearing.
The 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.
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.
EJ Resources
Biden-Harris Administration Releases Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook for Clean Energy and Climate Programs
The White House released the first edition of a new resource titled Building a Clean Energy Economy: A Guidebook to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Investments in Clean Energy and Climate Action, which provides clear descriptions of the law’s tax incentives and funding programs to build a clean energy economy, lower energy costs, tackle climate change, and reduce harmful pollution. The Guidebook will help state, local, territorial, and Tribal leaders, the private sector, non-profit organizations, homeowners, and communities better understand how they can benefit from these investments and unlock the full potential of the law.
The Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook follows the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook and creates a roadmap for the clean energy and climate funding available under the law at the program level. New developments will be published online.
To view the Guidebook in full, click here.
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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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