030507a

NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Office Policy, Planning and Science
Coastal Management Office

Notice of Rule Proposal
Coastal Permit Program rules, N.J.A.C. 7:7
Coastal Zone Management
rules, N.J.A.C. 7:7E

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
is proposing to amend the Coastal Permit Program rules, N.J.A.C.
7:7 and Coastal Zone Management rules, N.J.A.C. 7:7E to update
the goals of New Jersey’s Coastal Management Program
and amend the rules pertaining to prime fishing areas, bay
islands, wetlands, Hackensack Meadowlands District, impervious
cover, scenic resources and design and traffic. A statement
of the substance of the proposal follows:

This proposal includes
the updating of the goals of the New Jersey Coastal Management
Program. The proposed amendments to the Prime fishing area
rule incorporate new digital mapping of prime fishing areas
and set forth standards for development within these areas.
Amendments to the bay island rule would add the Shawcrest/Hildreth
Island in Cape May County to the list of bay islands exempted
from the rule. Amendments proposed to the Wetlands and Hackensack
Meadowlands District rules specify the standards used to
review proposed coastal activities and development within
wetlands and clarify the application of the Coastal Zone
Management rules in the review of coastal activities or developments
in the Hackensack Meadowlands District. The proposal includes
the addition of electrical substations to the list of activities
that are exempt from the impervious and vegetative cover
requirements of the Coastal Zone Management rules. The amendments
proposed to the Scenic resources and design and Traffic rules
are intended to facilitate the preservation of historic structures
in danger of demolition, such as those of the “Doo
Wop” era by relaxing the parking requirements in limited
circumstances.

The proposal is scheduled to be published
in the New Jersey Register dated March 5, 2007. A copy
of the proposal(PDF) is
available from the Department’s
web site.

A public hearing concerning
the proposal is scheduled as follows:

Thursday, March 29,
2007 at 11:00 am
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Public Hearing Room
401 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08625

Written comments may be submitted by May 4, 2007 to:

NJ
Department of Environmental Protection
Oneida Cuevas, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 05-07-01/477
Office of Legal Affairs
PO Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625