Important Announcement for the Pequannock Watershed

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: Below is an announcement from the NJDEP regarding waterways they are recommending for upgrade to C1 status. It should be noted that the upgrades for segments of the Macopin River and Pequannock River are based on electro-shock surveys we conducted with the Division of Fish and Wildlife this past summer. These surveys turned up numbers of fingerling brown trout, confirming the trout-production status of these waterways. The upgrade to the Macopin River is particularly important since this impacts streams and wetlands draining from the proposed golf course site in West Milford. : As mentioned in the announcement, citizens can provide written comments or attend the hearing in January to support these changes. We urge our members to respond. : Happy holidays! : Ross Kushner : Pequannock River Coalition : : From: http://www.state.nj.us/ : DEP COMMISSIONER PROPOSES SAFEGUARDS FOR TROUT PRODUCTION STREAMS: : GREATER HABITAT PROTECTION SOUGHT FOR FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES : 12/19/02 : Trenton - Advancing Governor McGreevey's priority to safeguard New : Jersey's clean water supplies and critical habitat, Department of : Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today : announced plans to provide 12 water bodies increased levels of : protection. Seven streams are proposed for Category One (C1) : designation, which is the highest level of protection to greatly limit : discharges into the waterways. : "Governor McGreevey is essentially raising the clean water bar in New : Jersey," said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "Under the : Governor's direction, the DEP is moving forward aggressively to set : tougher standards to protect New Jersey's waterways - particularly : those that provide our families with drinking water and important : habitat for threatened and endangered species and popular recreation : fish like trout." : Based on existing water quality and DEP biological assessments of the : streams, a new round of reclassifications is being proposed to protect : stream habitat for ecologically significant fish populations, : including wild trout, recreational stocked trout and the federally : endangered dwarf wedgemussel. : As proposed, the seven C1 reclassifications will receive special : regulatory protections against any discharge that produces a : measurable change in the existing water quality. In October 2002, : Governor McGreevey and Commissioner Campbell announced the : reclassification of 15 water bodies to C1 protection status, focusing : - for the first time - this regulatory protection on reservoirs that : support drinking water supplies for more than four million state : residents. : Six of the seven stream segments proposed for C1 reclassification are : based on their trout production status, including: Bowers Brook : (Hackettstown) and Tunnel Brook (Oxford Mountain) located in the : Delaware River Basin; and the Macopin River (Newfoundland), Mill Brook : tributary (North of Union Hill), Pequannock River (Charlotteburg), and : Wallace Brook (Randolph) located in the Passaic, Hackensack, and New : York Harbor Complex Basin. : The DEP has also proposed a seventh C1 reclassification of a stream : segment of the Paulins Kill to protect the dwarf wedgemussel, a : federal endangered species. : Freshwater mussels, including the dwarf wedgemussel, are sensitive to : various toxins in the environment and may suffer lethal effects from : pollutants discharged into waters. The dwarf wedgemussel species : requires silt-free, stable streambeds and well-oxygenated, pollutant- : free water to survive. In addition, its survival depends upon the : presence of a viable fish population because the mussels must : temporarily attach themselves to host fish during their larval stage. : The additional five water bodies are proposed for reclassification : and upgrade to the Trout Maintenance level based on their ability to : support a recreational trout population as a result of their high : quality water. These include Lopatcong Creek (Phillipsburg) and : Pequest River (Janes Chapel) in the Delaware River Basin; Peckman : River (Verona) located in the Passaic, Hackensack, and New York Harbor : Complex Basin; and Budd Lake (eastern tributary) and the South Branch : Raritan River tributary (High Bridge) located in the Raritan River : Basin. : The department applies more stringent criteria for dissolved oxygen, : temperature, ammonia, and total suspended solids for all streams that : receive upgraded protection based on their ability to support trout : populations. These more stringent criteria apply to all dischargers : located on the affected waterways who require DEP Surface Water : Discharge permits. : The DEP is authorized to develop and implement Surface Water Quality : Standards, which identify the quality of water needed to support : various water uses in the state. The Water Quality Planning Act : specifically addresses the need to maintain existing high quality : waters that meet and exceed clean water standards - a goal : accomplished through C1 designations. : Each reclassification and C1 designation occurs through an : administrative rulemaking process, affording the public an opportunity : to provide comment and input to these decisions. A copy of the rule : proposal is available on the DEP's website at: : http://www.state.nj.us/dep/wmm/bfbm/TroutProposal.pdf. : A public hearing is scheduled for: : Wednesday, January 29, 2003, from 4pm (to the earlier of the close of : testimony or 5:30 and 6:30pm, or 9:00pm, at: Frelinghuysen Arboretum : at the Haggerty Education Center 53 East Hanover Avenue Morris : Township, NJ 07962 : Comments on the proposed C1 designations and reclassifications should : be submitted by March 7, 2003 to: : NJ Department of Environmental Protection : Gary Brower, Esq. : Attn. DEP Docket Number 35-02-12/351 : Office of Legal AffairsPOB 402 : Trenton, NJ 08625-0402

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