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Combined Sewer Overflow Committee

Change Committee
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
  1. Submitted comments to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) Draft Combined Sewer Overflow Permits for Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC), City of Bayonne, Borough of East Newark, Town of Harrison, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority, Town of Kearny, City of Newark, North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority, and City of Paterson.
  2. Co-hosted a public engagement workshop on providing input for NJDEP’s strategies to reduce flooding and sewage overflows in the PVSC service region. Collaborated with Sewage Free Streets and River, Hackensack River Keeper, Keep America Beautiful Newark, Newark DIG, NJ/NY Baykeeper, South Ward Environmental Alliance, Sustain Work, Wade Trim, and New Jersey Future for the workshop.
  3. Convened a meeting with Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission to learn about their work and explore future collaboration (21 attendees).
  1. Submitted comments to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) Draft Combined Sewer Overflow Permits Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (NJ0026182), Gloucester City (NJ0108847), and the City of Camden (NJ0108812).
  2. Hosted the Funding Opportunities through FEMA BRIC meeting with NJ Office of Emergency Management (40 attendees). 
  3. Promoted community engagement opportunities within CSO communities. 
  4. Collaborated with Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers leadership program. 
  5. Published a blog highlighting Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority updates.
  6. Coordinated a conference session, Towards a One Water Future: Effective Combined Sewer Overflow Solutions with Active Community Involvement, to highlight the efforts of the North Hudson Sewerage Authority and Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority.
  1. Reviewed and submitted comments on the draft Combined Sewer Overflow Permits for Guttenberg/North Bergen Municipal Utility Authority, North Hudson Sewerage Authority, City of Elizabeth and Joint Meeting of Essex & Union Counties, Bergen County Utilities Authority, Borough of Fort Lee, City of Hackensack, and Village of Ridgefield Park to ensure JWW recommendations for smart CSO permits are reflected in new permits. 
  2. Submitted comments on NJDEP’s Guide to CSO Public Engagement, which permittees can utilize to enhance their public engagement efforts to
    suit the needs of their specific community.
  3. Educated and engaged community members in the public comment process for the draft CSO permits via two webinars, social media, and newsletters in collaboration with Sewage Free Streets and Rivers.
  1. Committee met and discussed recommendations while waiting for the release of the CSO permits. Committee wants to ensure that the JWW “Smart CSO Control Plan” goals are reflected in the next CSO permits.
  2. Published a fact sheet to educate stakeholders and ensure the CSO permits incorporate current climate change data, utilizing relevant resources.  
  3. Created a supplement executive summary to the climate change report to include environmental justice recommendations.  
  4. Created an Ask Card as a tool to encourage planners, municipal officials, and community members to review long-term control plans (LTCP) plans for resilience and adaptability to climate change.
  1. Provided recommendations for the next CSO permits after reviewing the NJDEP’s technical response letters on the Long Term Control Plans.
  2. Co-hosted a workshop with APA NJ to discuss using redevelopment as a tool to improve CSOs and stormwater issues in general.
  3. Helped plan and promote the Construction Opportunities Forum for Diverse Business Owners, hosted by NJ I-Bank and NJ Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
  4. Laid the groundwork for a pilot program as part of a collaborative regional water workforce development initiative.
  1. Published a summary of Development and Evaluation of Alternatives Reports that CSO permit holders submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
  2. Issued a case study on two workforce training programs in Camden, providing an overview that communities can refer to if they wish to create their own program. The programs were created to train residents of low-income communities and communities of color in green infrastructure maintenance and/or connect them to employment opportunities, including those in the water industry.
  3. Published a report on two Newark training programs to help bolster its water workforce.
  1. Produced a summary of Development and Evaluation of Alternatives Reports that CSO permit holders submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
  2. Created an assessment of access to water workforce jobs for low-income communities and communities of color affected by CSOs.
  3. Gave multiple presentations at industry events on technical research conducted by the committee.
  1. Hosted peer-to-peer learning sessions to support the development of LTCPs with robust public participation and well-informed consideration of alternatives.
  2. Created a dedicated clearinghouse for LTCP resources to foster and promote collaboration an information-sharing among permittees.
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