NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Environmental Regulation
Division of Water Quality

Notice of Rule Proposal
Monitoring and Pollutant Minimization Plans for Polychlorinated
Biphenyls – N.J.A.C. 7:14A-11 and 14

Public Notice
Take notice that the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection is proposing new rules at N.J.A.C. 7:14A-11 and 14,
Monitoring and Pollutant Minimization Plans for Polychlorinated
Biphenyls (PCBs). The proposed new rules will require major
facilities discharging to PCB-impaired waters to monitor their
discharge for PCBs, using a very sensitive method capable of
measuring PCBs at levels that previous methods were unable to
detect. Based on the results of the monitoring, some of those
facilities will be required to develop and implement a PCB Pollutant
Minimization Plan (PMP). Since PCBs are no longer used in industrial
processes, most pollutant loading will likely be from contaminated
areas around the dischargers’ facilities, either from old leaky
equipment or from production of PCBs as an unwanted by-product.
The purpose of the PMP is to lead to the identification and
elimination of those discrete sources of PCBs. The intent of
this rule is to achieve PCB pollutant load reduction and this
task will be made simpler and less costly if the source of PCB
contamination is determined quickly. For facilities that discharge
PCBs in concentrations at or close to background levels, PMPs
will not be required because it is unlikely that those facilities
would be able to identify any discrete sources of PCBs.

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey
Register dated December 19, 2005. A copy
of the proposal (PDF) is
available from the DEP web site or by contacting Ms. Pilar Patterson,
rule manager, at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,
Division of Water Quality – Bureau of Point Source Permitting
– Region 2, 401 East State Street, Trenton, New Jersey, 08625
or by telephone at (609) 292-4860. Be advised that there may
be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.

A public hearing concerning the proposal is scheduled as follows:

Monday, January 30, 2006 at 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
(or until the end of comments, whichever comes first)
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
1st Floor Public Hearing Room
401 East State Street, Trenton, N.J. 08625

Written comments may be submitted by February 17, 2006 to:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Alice A. Previte, Esq., Legal Specialist
ATTN: DEP Docket No.40-05-11/565
Office of Legal Affairs
PO Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625