In March 2020, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection formally adopted groundbreaking amendments to the state’s stormwater management rules to better protect water quality by reducing polluted runoff through the implementation of green infrastructure technologies, which also helps to make New Jersey more resilient to storm and flood impacts from climate change. The new rule amendments take full effect on March 2, 2021. Green infrastructure is a set of stormwater management practices that use or mimic the natural water cycle to capture, filter, absorb, and/or reuse stormwater.
In older stormwater collection systems, stormwater would be centralized in one big basin. With these new rules, it will be required that stormwater management features be distributed around a site. Historically, stormwater runoff has been a major source of water pollution throughout New Jersey and across the nation. Runoff from storms carries fertilizer, pesticides, automotive fluids, and other pollutants into waterways, degrading ecosystems and impairing lakes, streams, and rivers. Poorly controlled stormwater can also lead to dangerous flooding conditions. Climate change has posed an added risk for harm to people and property from stormwater runoff.
Green infrastructure uses nature to reach its goals. Some strategies include rain gardens, bio-retention basins, vegetated swales, and green roofs. It naturally manages stormwater, allowing better infiltration of above-ground stormwater into the groundwater deeper beneath our feet. This use of natural resources helps in beautifying communities and helping in the fight against climate change by creating carbon-sequestering green space.
Have questions about the new Green Infrastructure Rules? Refer to the FAQ here.
NJSPE’s next upcoming event can inform you even more about the new stormwater rules! This webinar takes place on Friday, December 4, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you’re an NJSPE member it’s just $49 to attend and for nonmembers, it’s $99. Professional engineers will earn 2 PDHs for attending!
Learn more about the event and register today!
As cases of coronavirus continue to rise and are currently at an all-time high in the US, many states are cracking down on restrictions – New Jersey included. As of November 17, indoor and outdoor gatherings are even more limited. For indoor, up to 10 people and for outdoor up to 150 people may be gathered together (while still social distancing, of course). So what does this mean for the construction industry in New Jersey?
On October 24, 2020, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 192, protecting New Jersey’s workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under EO-192 all employees, customers, and visitors must wear a face covering while on the premises (this goes for both indoor and outdoor). The only exceptions to this rule are individuals under the age of two and where it is impractical to wear a face covering. For example, when eating or drinking. Additionally, employers may permit employees to remove their face covering when they are at their workstation at least six feet away from others or if it would create an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task.
Both Executive Order 192 and Executive Order 142 outline requirements to protect employees and others. Here is a summary of both in relation to the New Jersey construction industry.
Construction projects must adopt policies that include, at a minimum, the following requirements:
It’s worth noting that the list above is simply a summary. Businesses are still required to fully comply with all of the terms within EO-192 and EO-142. Be sure that you read the full guidance carefully to ensure that you are complying!
On a happier note, the construction industry continues to be resilient in the face of this pandemic. While there was a deep drop in employment at the beginning, 84,000 jobs were added in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the largest monthly increase since June. There is still more to be done but we can celebrate the small wins and stay hopeful that more and more jobs become available as the months go on.
NJSPE will continue to update you and new information becomes available from the Governor. Stay up-to-date on njspe.org. If you’re an NJSPE member, keep an eye on your email for breaking updates. If you’re not a member, what are you waiting for? Learn more about our membership benefits and join today!
As virtual events are becoming the new norm, it’s never been easier to attend a conference or a continuing education day. That means earning Professional Development Hours (PDHs) is as simple as a click of your mouse! There’s no excuse for missing out on these great upcoming engineering events. Save the dates, register, and never stop learning!
December 4, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
This course will review the recently adopted NJ Stormwater Management Rules that will become effective on March 2, 2021. The discussion will focus on the design paradigm shift necessary to successfully and efficiently implement green infrastructure including design team approaches to effectively utilize green infrastructure in stormwater management.
Available anytime as an online course!
This course will provide a general overview of the use and application of regulatory and warning signs, pavement marking and traffic signals. In addition, the course will include a discussion of common traffic engineering studies used to establish speed limits and determine design parameters used in implementing traffic control devices and roadway geometric features. Examples will be presented and concepts will be reinforced through hands-on exercises. Finally, the presentation will provide an overview of roundabouts, including design features, their application and advantages of using roundabouts over other conventional intersection treatments.
Available anytime as an on-demand course!
Issues from Industrial Exemptions and Dams – Lessons we learn from disasters and emergencies, the unintentional consequences.
Keep an eye out for more live virtual events and on-demand offerings. NJSPE is always offering new ways for our licensed professional engineers to earn their credits and keep their licenses in good standing!
