As part of construction of the I-295/Route 42 Connector a/k/a “Missing Moves” project, “a request to extend an existing Discharge to Groundwater Permit-by-Rule for construction dewatering has been submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (Department) to discharge to groundwater in accordance with a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of the New Jersey Water Pollution Control”, according to a Public Notice that was published on December 26, 2020.
The I-295/Route 42 Connector a/k/a “Missing Moves” project is located in Bellmawr, Runnemede, Westville, and Deptford.
The Department’s Site Remediation Program is reviewing the permit-by-rule extension request to discharge to groundwater for the purpose of managing construction dewatering effluent on site in recharge/infiltration basins as part of the above linear construction project with the program interest number 165123.
The public notice states: “The results of New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) site investigations in 2011, 2015, and 2016 indicated the presence of PAHs (benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene) and metals (aluminum, lead, manganese, mercury, beryllium, and manganese) detected at concentrations above NJDEP Impact to Ground Water Soil Screening Level (IGWSSL) and/or NJDEP Soil Remediation Standards (SRS).”
“The contamination detected in soil is consistent with historic fill,” the public notice reads. “Additionally, a portion of the project is located within areas of NJDEP mapped historic fill.”
“Although no groundwater sampling data exists within the project limits, it is likely that the groundwater has been impacted by the detected soil contamination and mapped historic fill material.”
A copy of the discharge to groundwater permit-by-rule extension request is available from the person responsible for conducting the remediation, New Jersey Department of Transportation, 1035 Parkway Avenue, Trenton, New Jersey, or as part of the administrative record which is on file at the offices of the Department, Site Remediation Program, located at 401 East State Street, Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey.
The file may be reviewed under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. Information regarding the OPRA procedures is available at www.state.nj.us/dep/opra/oprainfo.html.
Interested persons may submit written comments regarding the discharge to groundwater permit-by-rule extension request to:
New Jersey Department of Transportation
1035 Parkway Avenue
P.O. Box 600
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0600
All comments shall be submitted within 30 calendar days after the date of the public notice, or the end of any public hearing that the Department may schedule that occurs after that date.
All persons who believe that the discharge to groundwater proposal is inappropriate, must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit in writing to the Department all reasonably available arguments and factual grounds supporting their position, including all supporting material, by the close of the public comment period.
The Department will consider all public comments that relate to the discharge to groundwater proposal, provided that the Department receives the comments by the close of the public comment period.
After the close of the public comment period, the Department will render a decision regarding the permit-by-rule extension request.
The Department will respond to all significant and timely comments with its decision regarding the discharge to groundwater permit-by-rule extension request.
Each person who has submitted written comments will receive notice of the Department’s decision.
Any person may request in writing that the Department hold a non-adversarial public hearing on the discharge to groundwater permit-by-rule extension request.
This request shall state the nature of the issues to be raised in the proposed hearing and shall be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the Public Notice that was published on December 26, 2020 to the address cited below.
A public hearing will be conducted whenever the Department determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the discharge to groundwater decision.
If a public hearing is held, the public comment period in this notice shall automatically be extended to the close of the public hearing.
Comments and written requests for a non-adversarial public hearing shall be sent to:
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Site Remediation Program Bureau Case Assignment & Initial Notice
Mail Code 401-05H 401
East State Street
P.O. Box 420
Trenton, NJ 08625-0420
Attn: DGW PBR Extension Request
