What’s New in 2022

Several important enhancements are included in the 2022 water quality assessment. Thank you to the public and stakeholders that have recommended improvements to DEP’s 2020 web report. The 2022 enhancements include:

• A detailed Quality Assurance Protocol Plan review was performed this assessment cycle to ensure that all high-quality data was once again included this cycle.
• A detailed review of the station association with assessment units and surface water classifications was performed.
• Overburdened Communities (OBCs) and climate change indicators have been included into the Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool to better direct protection and restoration efforts throughout the northeast water region and all regions of New Jersey.
• To improve the presentation of water quality information, the interactive storymap for the 2022 has been enhanced by adding additional parameter level displays. The new display provides clearer presentation of assessments for selected parameter results.
• In response to multiple comments on the previous water quality assessment web report, DEP would like to emphasize that components of the web report that are open to comment include the Integrated list and the 2-year TMDL prioritization schedule. While the Department is open to input on improving and answering inquiries on all information presented in the 2022 site, responses will be prioritized on comments that are directed to the Integrated List and 2-yr schedule. (see links above or view the Table of Contents tab for all web report links).
  

  Public Comment

  DEP published the draft 2022 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Waters in the New Jersey Register on February 5, 2024 (56 N.J.R. 220(a)) and posted the lists and web-based report on the DEP’s website. The public comment period is open for 30 days and closes on March 6, 2024.

  In accordance with N.J.A.C 7:15-5.4, the Department is seeking public comment on the proposed 2022 303(d) List, including priority ranking for development of TMDLs within the next two years, prior to requesting approval from the USEPA. Interested persons may submit written comments on the proposed 2022 303(d) List to the Department via email to NJIntegratedReport@njdepwptest.net or by regular mail to:

  Attention: Frank Klapinski, Environmental Scientist 4

  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

  Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control

  401 E. State Street, (Mail Code 401-04I)

  Trenton, NJ 08625-0420

A summary of the public comments and agency responses will be furnished thereafter. DEP will revise the 2022 303(d) Lists based on careful consideration of the comments received. The final 2022 303(d) List is to be submitted to USEPA for approval.

DEP’s submission of the final 2022 Integrated Report to USEPA will satisfy the requirements of CWA Section 303(d) and 305(b), as well as N.J.S.A. 58:11A-7 and N.J.A.C. 7:15-5.2. The Department will publish the final 2022 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Waters in the New Jersey Register.

Public participation is an integral part of the Integrated Report. Opportunities for data submissions and comments on the Integrated Report are provided to ensure this science-based document is informed, comprehensive and transparent.
The DEP provides several avenues for announcing its intent to seek water quality data and public comments to the Integrated Report from the general public:

• publication of a notice in the New Jersey Register,
• posting on the DEP’s Water Quality Assessment Website,
• electronic announcement sent to subscribers of the DEP’s Listservs

Because the 2022 Integrated Report focuses on the Northeast Water Region and this area of New Jersey contains a significant number of Overburdened Communities (OBCs), the Department is enhancing stakeholder engagement this assessment cycle to expand presentation of water quality conditions and this report. The Department is committed that “All New Jersey residents, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, have a right to live, work, and recreate in a clean and healthy environment. Historically, New Jersey’s low-income communities and communities of color face a disproportionately high number of environmental and public health stressors and, as a result, suffer from increased adverse health effects. New Jersey seeks to correct these outcomes by furthering the promise of environmental justice.” Through enhanced community engagement on the NJDEP’s water quality assessment process and in sharing information on the health of waterbodies that are part of or near OBCs, the public will be better served and protected.

More information on Environmental Initiatives at NJDEP are available at the Environmental Justice webpage

Water quality data submittals from organizations outside the DEP makes up a large percentage of total data used for the Integrated Report water quality assessments. All appropriate and readily available data collected in accordance with a Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) approved by the DEP, EPA or USGS may be submitted by uploading into the following data systems:

• USEPA Water Quality Exchange (WQX) Web,
• USGS National Water Information System (NWIS),
• other publicly available databases may be used if WQX and NWIS does not support the data type such as continuous water quality data, fish tissue data, or beach closure data. The DEP requests that data submitters contact the DEP which data system contains their data.

The DEP provides opportunities for public review and comment submission for the Methods Document and Integrated Report before they are published. The “Comment Period” for all documents are for a minimum of 30 days after announcement in the New Jersey Register. The documents are available on the DEP’s Water Quality Assessment Website for review. After the public comment period closes, the documents are revised as needed to address comments and is submitted to USEPA for formal approval. All responses to the comments are submitted with the final document.
Comments may be submitted by:

• electronically through email, (highly encouraged)
• regular mail,
• over the phone,
• in person.

If you have any questions, comments or requests for information, please contact us.

Contact Us
Email: NJIntegratedReport@njdepwptest.net
Phone: 609-633-1441
Address: Bureau of Environmental Analysis, Restoration and Standards
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
401 E. State Street
PO Box 401
Trenton, NJ 08625

 

It is important for New Jersey’s aquatic ecosystems to flourish and persevere. Aquatic ecosystems provide several long-term economic benefits to society, including ecosystem “services” such as:

• providing water -related activities such as recreational swimming, boating, and fishing;
• generating income by commercial fisheries, including shellfish, and the seafood industry;
• creating economic benefits generated by jobs, housing, retail sales, and tourism associated with these industries.

Good water quality provides economic benefits associated with recreation, tourism, and marine industries, as well as the resultant tax revenues, and reduces the costs of treatment required to meet drinking water standards for potable water supplies; therefore, protecting, restoring, and maintaining water quality in all our waterways has a direct and positive impact on the State’s economy.

Annual Ecosystem Service Values for Aquatic Ecosystems in New Jersey

Ecosystem Type	Total Acres as of 2002	Ecosystem Service Value (2009 $/acre/yr)	Ecosystem Service Value (2009 $/yr)
Freshwater wetlands	814,479	$13,141	$10,703,270,530
Estuaries	455,700	$13,238	$6,032,469,106
Saltwater wetlands	190,520	$6,965	$1,326,936,744
Coastal shelf	299,835	$1,476	$442,455,715
Beaches/dunes	7,837	$47,879	$375,227,660
Open fresh water	86,232	$869	$74,939,057
Riparian buffers	15,146	$3,842	$58,190,205
Total	1,869,749		$19,013,489,018

1 NJDEP. Valuing New Jersey’s Natural Capital: An Assessment of the Economic Value of the State’s Natural Resources. April 2007 . Table is based on data from Table 5 of this report. Dollar amounts were converted from 2004 to 2009 dollars using the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These estimated values make it clear that water of a quality and quantity sufficient to support these ecosystems in a state of healthy functioning is an essential part of a natural environment that provides extremely large economic benefits to New Jersey.