DEP UPGRADES STANDARDS TO PROTECT SURFACE WATER

TRENTON - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner
Lisa P. Jackson today announced the final adoption of regulations that will
upgrade the state's surface water quality standards to achieve cleaner water
statewide.

"With these upgraded standards, we can safeguard our public drinking water
supplies and protect critical habitats for threatened and endangered
species," said Commissioner Jackson.

The newly adopted rules establish more stringent standards for more than 100
toxic pollutants to protect human health and a broad range of aquatic
species. Discharge permits will be revised to ensure compliance with these
tougher standards, which are based on updated scientific information.

With this adoption, five streams will receive a Category 1 (C1) designation,
which prevents any measurable deterioration in existing water quality,
limiting development impacts and discharges to streams. The five streams,
totaling 12 miles, received the upgraded classification based on their trout
production status. The designations were based on stream sampling data
collected by DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife.

DEP's Surface Water Quality Standards establish the water quality criteria
necessary to protect the state's waters. Each water body is assigned
specific designated uses, a stream classification and anti-degradation
designation. The standards are used to develop effluent limitations for
wastewater discharges, to identify protected areas under DEP's stormwater
management rules and to determine the buffer to apply to wetland areas.

Under the new rules, DEP will apply new temperature criteria to protect
trout production streams. The adopted rules also establish more stringent
criteria for dissolved oxygen, 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
who require a DEP surface water discharge permit and are located on an
upgraded water body.

The new rules also establish upgraded criteria for mercury and PCBs, as well
as a new monitoring requirement. Dischargers will now be required to use
more sensitive analytical methods for monitoring mercury and PCBs, enabling
DEP to better identify and track reductions in PCB and mercury levels.

The following is a list of the streams that will receive a C1 designation on
October 16.

Beech Brook in West Milford
A section of the Saddle River in Upper Saddle River
Stone House Brook in Butler
A section of the Wanaque River in Pompton Lakes
Wanaque River Tributary in Hewitt

The Surface Water Quality Standards rules and a copy of the adoption
document can be found at http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/. The adoption will be
published in the New Jersey Register on October 16, 2006.