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Watershed Institute urges Hillsborough to join regional Lower Millstone plan to meet MS4 requirements
Summary
A Watershed Institute representative urged the township to participate in a regional Watershed Management Plan for the Lower Millstone watershed to meet MS4 permit requirements and to pursue potential DEP support and grant opportunities; Mayor Ciccarelli said township engineering staff are evaluating options.
Susan Bristol, municipal policy specialist with the Watershed Institute, told the committee on April 22 that Hillsborough would benefit from joining a regional Watershed Management Plan for the Lower Millstone watershed to satisfy elements of the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit and to align improvement projects across municipal boundaries.
Bristol said the Lower Millstone plan would include water-quality monitoring and project prioritization across the watershed and noted recent momentum: Montgomery Township has expressed interest in serving as the contractual agent for a regional plan, and state Department of Environmental Protection staff and county planners have participated in recent meetings. She said the DEP is encouraging regional approaches and that grants or technical support may be available for collaborative watershed projects.
Bristol urged Hillsborough to favor the regional, watershed-based approach rather than a standalone township plan because watershed geography crosses municipal borders and regional planning can avoid duplicated effort and make local projects more eligible for future funding. She offered a draft resolution and said model resolutions exist from nearby municipalities (Lawrence, Princeton, Pennington, Hopewell) that chose a regional approach.
Mayor Ciccarelli and staff replied that the township—s engineering department and consultants are already assessing MS4 obligations and options; he encouraged staff and the Watershed Institute to coordinate.
Why it matters
MS4 permit obligations require municipalities to plan and implement stormwater controls to protect water quality. Because watersheds cross municipal lines, a regional Watershed Management Plan can streamline monitoring and projects, improve grant competitiveness, and reduce the risk of flooding and long-term water-quality problems that affect drinking-water sources downstream.
Ending
Bristol left a draft resolution for the committee and encouraged closer coordination; the mayor indicated township engineering staff will review regional options as part of the MS4 planning process.
