Ecological Evaluation Technical Guidance - State of New Jersey

Objectives of the ERA: including a description of the work plan, and anydeviations realized as a result of project implementation;Problem formulation: including a comprehensive site history and descriptions ofthe ESNRs located on, adjacent to and potentially under the influence of the site,identification of assessment and measurement endpoints, development of ECSM,and identification of TRVs and other screening benchmarks;Description of field activities: including discussion of equipment used, testprotocols, tabular descriptions of sample locations and depth;Results of the chemical and biological analyses and risk calculations includingtabular results and figures showing ESNRs, sampling locations, date and depthsand analytical results in excess of the appropriate ESC and delineation samples bymedia, chemical fraction and area as necessary as per N.J.A.C. 7:26E-1.6(b)6;Uncertainty analysis;Conclusions; andAppendices, containing laboratory analytical data and field logs.6.4 Special CircumstancesThe purpose of this section is to augment this guidance for commonly occurringproblematic or scientifically challenging circumstances that are not comprehensivelyaddressed in the ERAGs guidance and that, if not carefully considered in the projectplanning stage, may result in an EE or ERA that is inadequate in scope.6.4.1 WetlandsWetlands are unique and sensitive ecological units. Science has come torecognize that wetlands provide valuable functions in the natural environment.These functions include providing necessary breeding habitat for a variety oforganisms such as waterfowl, fish, and shellfish; erosion and stormwater floodcontrol; groundwater recharge; and nutrient transport. Wetlands can be found infreshwater, brackish, and saline conditions. They can be found along coasts, inforests, and along rivers or creeks. They can be found anywhere that the saturatedsoil conditions necessary for wetlands development exist.Wetlands are defined as those areas that are inundated or saturated by surfacewater or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and thatunder normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typicallyadapted for life in saturated conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps,marshes, bogs, and similar areas [33 CFR 323.2 (c)]. The primary governingregulation for freshwater wetlands in the State of New Jersey is the New JerseyFreshwater Wetlands Protection Act (N.J.S.A. 13:9B-1 et seq.) and to a lesserextent, the Water Pollution Control Act, N.J.S.A. 58:10A-1 et seq. The rulesgoverning the implementation of the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act and theWater Pollution Control Act are the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands ProtectionAct Rules at N.J.A.C. 7:7A. The primary governing regulation of coastalwetlands is the Coastal Zone Management Rules, N.J.A.C.7:7.While the focus of this guidance is on the completion of ERAs, it is important tounderstand that wetlands are ESNRs that are regulated by the NJDEP. As part ofEcological Evaluation Technical Guidance Document 68Version 1.2 8/29/12