N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26C-10.4

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

Section 7:26C-10.4 - Pre-application process

(a) A community group shall request that the Department make a finding of substantial public interest for each community group interested in applying for a technical assistance grant in connection with a particular contaminated site, as a condition of seeking a technical assistance grant, by submitting to the Department a petition containing the signatures of 25 or more people who live or work near the site.

(b) The Department will respond to a petition and inform the community group of whether or not it has met the requirements of substantial public interest.

(c) Within 30 days after receiving the Department's response, the community group shall submit to the Department's Office of Community Relations a Letter of Intent that includes the following information:

1. The name of the community group;

2. A description of the composition of the group, including a statement that the community group meets the eligibility requirements pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:26C-10.3;

3. A statement of the group's intent to apply for a technical assistance grant;

4. The program interest name and program interest number (preferred ID) of the contaminated site for which the group is seeking the grant; and

5. The name and address of a contact person for the group and his or her daytime phone number.

(d) Upon submittal of the Letter of Intent to the Department, the community group shall publish a public notice in a daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the contaminated site which includes the following information:

1. The program interest name and program interest number (preferred ID) of the contaminated site for which the group is seeking a technical assistance grant;

2. A statement that the community group has submitted a Letter of Intent to the Department as part of the process to acquire a technical assistance grant for the contaminated site;

3. The name of the community group, seeking the technical assistance grant, and its contact; and

4. A statement that any other community groups interested in a technical assistance grant for the same contaminated site have 60 days after the publication of the notice in the newspaper to submit a petition containing the signatures of 25 or more people who live or work near the site, requesting that the Department make a finding of substantial public interest for the community group, and that each community group must submit its own Letter of Intent to the Department.

(e) If the Department does not receive an additional petition and Letter of Intent within the prescribed time period, the Department will advise the community group in writing that it has 60 days to file an application for a technical assistance grant pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:26C-10.5.

(f) If the Department receives additional petitions and Letters of Intent, all community groups filing letters will have an additional 60 days from the publication of the public notice to attempt to form a coalition. The Department's website at www.nj.gov/dep/srp/srra/community/ provides guidance about the coalition process.

(g) If multiple community groups apply for a grant for the same site and phase and no coalition is formed, the Department will not award a grant.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26C-10.4

Amended by R.2012 d.095, effective 5/7/2012.
See: 43 N.J.R. 1935(a), 44 N.J.R. 1339(b).
Rewrote (a), (c)2, the introductory paragraph of (d) and (d)4; in (b), deleted "a" preceding "substantial"; in (e), inserted "petition and"; and in (f), inserted "petitions and" and substituted "60" for "30".