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
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