061807a

NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Assistant Commissioner Mark Mauriello
Land Use Management

Notice of Rule Proposal
Water Supply Loan Programs, N.J.A.C 7:1A

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
is proposing the readoption of the rules without change for
the Water Supply Loan Programs rules. The existing rules govern
loans to public owned community water supply systems for the
rehabilitation or repair of antiquated, obsolete, damaged or
inadequately operating water facilities; for the interconnection
of unconnected or inadequately connected water systems; for
the rehabilitation, repair, or construction of new drinking
water treatment facilities; for the construction of water supply
facilities or public water systems to address groundwater contamination
problems.  In the instance of contaminated wellfields,
privately owned community water supply systems are eligible
to apply for a replacement loan.

The immediate task is to readopt the current rules without
change to allow the Department to continue to process current
water supply loan applications, in anticipation of the rule
sunset date which is on May 10, 2007.  No new applications
have been accepted under the Water Supply Loan Programs since
1997.  The Department previously committed to the existing
project sponsors to process and to complete all remaining applications
for projects that were received on or prior to June 30, 1997.

It is anticipated that the unit within the Department responsible
for this program will close-out the Water Supply Loan Programs
about December 2007.  The rules need to remain in effect
until all the loans are repaid to the State, since the loan
agreement documents specifically reference the rules.

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey
Register dated June 18, 2007. A
copy of the proposal is available from the DEP web site or by contacting the rule manager, Roger
Tsao, Bureau of Loans and Data Management at (609) 292-5550.

Written comments may be submitted by August 17, 2007 to:

NJ
Department of Environmental Protection
Oneida
Cuevas, Esquire
ATTN:
DEP Docket No. 12-07-05/625
Office
of Legal Affairs
PO
Box 402
Trenton,
New Jersey 08625