State of New Jersey
Executive Order #67

Governor Christine Todd Whitman

WHEREAS, the Water Quality Planning Act, N.J.S.A. 58:11A-1 et seq., authorizes the Governor to designate areawide planning agencies for the purpose of developing, adopting, updating and amending areawide water quality management plans and where no such planning agencies are designated, authorizes the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to take such actions; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), 33 U.S.C.A. 1251 et seq., as amended, and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereunder by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) require that the Governor of each State certify water quality management plans for submittal to the USEPA and designate management agencies to carry out such plans; and

WHEREAS, the NJDEP has served as the areawide planning agency for the Monmouth County Water Quality Management Plan in the absence of the designation of an areawide planning agency; and

WHEREAS, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders on February 22, 1996 petitioned the Governor to designate the Board as the areawide planning agency for the Monmouth Water Quality Management Plan, and

WHEREAS, it is beneficial wherever possible to develop partnerships between the State of New Jersey, including the NJDEP, and the various counties through designation of the county board of chosen freeholders as the areawide planning agency; and

WHEREAS, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has shown exceptional leadership in its development of watershed-based environmental planning programs in cooperation with the municipalities of the county and many citizens, and has developed a strong, cooperative working relationship with the NJDEP;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders is designated as the areawide planning agency for the Monmouth County Water Quality Management Plan pursuant to the Water Quality Planning Act, N.J.S.A. 58:11A-1 et seq.

2. The Department of Environmental Protection shall consult with the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders to effect an orderly and efficient transfer of the planning responsibility for the Monmouth County Water Quality Management Plan.

3. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall provide assistance to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders as necessary and available regarding its new responsibilities as designated planning agency.

4. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN under my hand and seal
this 15th day of April in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety-Seven, and of
the Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Twenty-First.

/s/ Christine Todd Whitman
Governor

Attest:

/s/ Michael P. Torpey

Chief Counsel to the Governor