N.J. Admin. Code § 7:15-9.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 7:15-9.3 - Pre-application procedures

(a) The Department encourages potential grant applicants to consult with the Department and the applicable PAC(s) prior to application submission in order to facilitate preparation and evaluation of the grant application. Inquiries to the Department may relate to procedural or substantive matters and may range from informal telephone advice to pre-arranged meetings.

(b) Watershed management grants shall only be issued to watershed management groups recognized in accordance with the following:

1. A watershed management group is a group recognized by the Department as the entity representing various interests within one or more watersheds or subwatersheds located in a watershed management area and whose purpose is to improve the condition or prevent further degradation of a watershed or watersheds.

2. The activities of a watershed management group may include:

i. Holding public meetings to discuss and exchange information on watershed issues;

ii. Establishing and operating a stakeholder's advisory group or groups or watershed associations dedicated to preserving and protecting a watershed;

iii. Engaging in water quality and quantity monitoring, water quality modeling or assessment of the condition of a watershed;

iv. Developing policy goals to reduce the amount of pollutants discharged into a watershed;

v. Developing projects designed to enhance or restore a watershed; or

vi. Developing, in consultation with the Department and the PAC established for the WMA, a watershed management strategy, or the reassessment of a watershed to determine whether the policies, goals or the objectives of a WMA plan or a watershed management strategy have been attained. The watershed management strategy addresses one or more watersheds or subwatersheds and is developed by the watershed management group, whereas the WMA plan addresses the watershed management area, which consists of more than one watershed, and is developed by the Department.

3. At a minimum, the following entities and individuals shall be invited to participate in a watershed management group:

i. The mayor or equivalent government official, or such official's designee, for each municipal government located partially or entirely within the watershed or watersheds represented by the watershed management group;

ii. The county board of freeholders, or the freeholders' designee, for each county located partially or entirely within the watershed or watersheds represented by the watershed management group;

iii. A representative of water purveyors;

iv. A representative of wastewater utilities or authorities;

v. A representative of the business community;

vi. A representative of the development community;

vii. A representative of the agricultural community, if appropriate;

viii. A representative of the applicable Soil Conservation District(s);

ix. A representative of the academic community;

x. A representative of the environmental community;

xi. A representative of the general public; and

xii. An official of any regional planning agency (including regional planning boards established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-77 et seq.) that has been created for all or part of the watershed or watersheds to be represented by the watershed management group, as applicable.

4. A request for recognition as a watershed management group shall be submitted to the Department, with a copy to the applicable PAC(s), and include the following information:

i. A copy of the mailing list used to establish the watershed management group, including the entities identified in (b)3 above;

ii. A copy of the letter of invitation to participate in the watershed management group;

iii. A copy of the responses from those officials or representatives agreeing to participate;

iv. A copy of the responses from those officials or representatives declining to participate; and

v. In cases where no response to the letter of invitation was received within 60 days, the group shall send a follow-up request by certified mail, return receipt requested, and submit proof of such follow-up.

5. The Department shall respond in writing within 45 days of the receipt of a complete request for recognition as a watershed management group.

6. To qualify for funding under this chapter, a watershed management group shall make an application to the Department for recognition, identify a government entity, 501(c)3 corporation or other corporate entity that will serve as the fiscal agent for the watershed management group and provide a statement of agreement from that entity to serve as the fiscal agent for the watershed management group. The fiscal agent shall be responsible for all financial interactions with the Department.

7. All meetings of a watershed management group shall be open to the public with prior notification in a newspaper of general circulation that covers area of the group.

(c) Potential grant applicants are encouraged to obtain recognition as a watershed management group at least 60 days prior to the submittal of grant applications.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:15-9.3