New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 1F - UNDERGROUND STORAGE CAVERNS
Subchapter 3 - OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
Section 7:1F-3.3 - Ground water and soil vapor monitoring

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 7:1F-3.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) Prior to operation, the owner and operator of an underground storage cavern system shall measure background ground water quality at the facility. During operation, the owner and operator shall monitor ground water, quarterly, for any release of a regulated substance.

(b) A ground water sample(s) at the site, at the depth of the underground storage cavern, shall be taken before construction begins, in order to establish baseline water quality. This sample shall be analyzed by a laboratory certified pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:18 for the regulated substance, pH, specific conductance (SC), dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and for those constituents with specific ground water quality criteria listed in Table 1 of the Appendix at N.J.A.C. 7:9C.

(c) Following construction, before the system is used and during operation, all ground water observation wells shall be monitored quarterly, and analyzed by a New Jersey-certified laboratory, for the regulated substance, pH, specific conductance (SC), dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and any other parameters specified in the permit. If there is an unexplained change in cavern pressure or ground water levels, such that a leak of the regulated substance to ground water from the system is suspected, or if the Department has grounds to suspect a leak, the Department may direct that all ground water observation wells shall be sampled for all, or some, of the baseline water quality constituents. The Department shall specify, in the system's permit, the number, location, and depth of ground water observation wells.

(d) The owner and operator shall additionally monitor, on a continuous basis:

1. The level of ground water immediately above the cavern;

2. The volume of ground water pumped, diverted, or otherwise removed from the cavern for operational purposes. All ground water pumped must be analyzed, treated, and discharged in accordance with all relevant State and Federal regulations; and

3. Soil vapor in the unsaturated soil above the cavern for the presence of the regulated substance.

(e) The owner and operator shall report results of ground water quality, level, volume, and soil vapor monitoring to the Department on a quarterly basis.

1. Monitoring of ground water volumes shall be done, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:19-2.14(a)4, or a separate water allocation permit, if required at N.J.A.C. 7:19.

(f) In the event of a release from the system to ground water, the owner and operator must immediately notify the Department's emergency communications center at 1-877 WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337) and take any immediate action necessary to mitigate the release. The owner and operator shall coordinate and conduct remediation activities, in accordance with Department rules.

(g) The owner and operator shall continue to monitor ground water, in accordance with (c) through (f) above during any time period the cavern system is dormant.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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