Water: Use, Supply and Regulation

Water:Use, Supply and Regulation April 5, 2010 Presented by David Restaino, Esq.

Water Regulation • Clean Surface Water • Flooding and Stream Corridors • Wetlands • Controlling Discharges into Streams • Ground Water • Water Supply • Wastewater • Climate Change and Water Risk

Flood Hazard Areas • What is a Flood Hazard Area? • Floodway • Flood Fringe • “Regulated Water” - Water that drains greater than or equal to 50 acres, excluding certain canals and coastal wetlands

Flood Hazard Areas • Inundated by a “Design” Flood • Tidal (100-year) • Fluvial (100-year + Safety Factor) • 100-Year Flood • 1% Chance of Being Equaled or Exceeded Within A One-Year Period

Stream Corridors (Riparian Zones) • Different than Flood Zones • Like a buffer • 50, 150 or 300 feet from a regulated water • Follows the channel, not the floodway

Riparian Zones • 300 Feet: Category One waters and certain upstream tributaries • 150 Feet: Trout waters, T&E habitat, acid producing soils • 50 Feet: All else ….

Regulated Activities(Flood Areas, Riparian Zones) • Fill, alter topography • Clear, or cut vegetation • Impervious surfaces • Unsecured storage • Larger structures • Buildings

Goals(Flood Areas & Riparian Zones) • Flood storage, unobstructed flow • Keep new construction out of the flood hazard area • Protect plants and critters • No adverse impact from one property owner upon another

Clean Water:The “NJPDES” Program • New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System • Federal model • Pollutant – broad definition • Discharge of a pollutant without a permit is prohibited • Permits • Five years, generally • Individual permits & general permits

Example • Discharge to surface water (DSW) permit • Specifies pollutants that can be discharged • Specifies quantity of allowable discharge (effluent limitations) • Must measure specified pollutants • Report / self-certify on monitoring report forms (MRFs) • Responsible corporate officials

Permits • Discharge to surface water (DSW) • Stormwater included • Discharge to ground water (DGW) • Underground injection control • Treatment works approvals • Indirect users / delegated local agencies (DLAs) – industrial pretreatment program • Mini-NJDEPs

General NJPDES Permits • Construction activity / stormwater • Construction dewatering • Municipal stormwater • Basic industrial stormwater • Dental facilities with onsite wastewater treatment • Others

NJPDES - Construction Stormwater • Erosion and sediment control best management practices (BMPs) • Control of litter and debris, and like waste

Groundwater • Water Supply • Underground Aquifers • Bedrock Wells • Where Does it Come From / Where Does it Go? • Keeping it Clean – Contamination Issues • Vapor Issues

Vapor Issues • What Causes Vapors? • Why Do We Care? • Vapors – contaminated soil &/or groundwater might release vapors, and these migrate up the soil column • Vapors Can Migrate into Buildings – they might become trapped, like radon gas • Usually not a problem

Water Supply • Streams, Reservoirs, Aquifers • Public Water Systems • Private Water Purveyors • Water Allocation Permits • Enough Supply? • “Water Wars”

Wastewater • Wastewater Treatment Plans • Wastewater Re-Use • Septic Systems • Public Cost • Impact on Streams • Impact on the Air

Water Quality Management Planning • Supply • Development • Wastewater Impact • Capacity and Sewer Hook-Up Bans • Inadequate capacity, or three months of consecutive effluent exceedences • No new connections & no new applications • Exemption rules and local exemption criteria

Water Risk & Climate Change • Securities and Exchange Commission guidance: climate change disclosure • Water risk component • Discharges • Supply • Investor & financing agreements • Supply-chain agreements • Impact?

Contact Information David Restaino, Esq. 609.896.3600 drestaino@foxrothschild.com

Water: Use, Supply and Regulation