NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Natural and Historic Resources Group
Historic Preservation Office

Notice of Rule Proposal
New Jersey Register of Historic Places Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:4

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to readopt, with amendments, N.J.A.C. 7:4, the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Rules. A statement of the substance of the proposal follows:

The New Jersey Register of Historic Places rules establish procedures for 1) nomination of historic sites to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and submission of historic properties to the National Register of Historic Places, 2) evaluation of the impact of public undertakings on historic properties listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, and 3) consultation with other Department programs or non-Federal governmental agencies regarding the identification of historic properties, the assessment of effects to historic properties, and the recommendation of alternatives or mitigation for those effects. The Department is proposing to readopt the chapter with amendments. Changes include minor amendments to clarify the meaning of certain sections throughout the chapter, changes that update and add definitions, and minor amendments that update terminology. Changes also include the addition of a requirement for a location map to be provided with a preliminary application for nomination of a property to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, amendments to deadlines for the submission of preliminary applications to the Department and the presentation of nominations to the State Review Board, and minor amendments to the notification process for New Jersey Register of Historic Places nominations. Other amendments include the addition of a provision giving the Historic Sites Council the authority to review projects that have only been developed to a conceptual level; the addition of a requirement for applicants to submit 12 original copies of the Application for Project Authorization, and the addition of an expiration date for project authorizations under N.J.A.C. 7:4-7. Amendments to the standards for the consultation performed by the state Historic Preservation Office with other Department programs and other non-federal governmental agencies regarding potential impacts to historic properties include the addition of Phase I archaeological survey standards, archaeological reporting standards, architectural survey reporting standards, reporting standards for combined archaeological and architectural surveys, standards for alternatives analyses, and electronic submission standards.

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register dated March 17, 2008. A copy of the proposal is available from: Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) website(PDF); Kate Marcopul, Rule Manager for the Historic Preservation Office (609) 984-5816; LexisNexis Customer Service at (800)223-1944 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore. Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.

A public hearing(s) concerning the proposal is scheduled as follows:

Monday, April 14, 2008 at 5:00pm
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Public Hearing Room
401 East State Street, 1st Floor, Trenton, NJ 08625

Written comments may be submitted by May 16, 2008 to:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Gary J. Brower, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 02-08-02/650
Office of Legal Affairs
401 East State Street, Floor 4
PO Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625