Considering a backlog of more than 20,000 contaminated sites in need of remediation in New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) developed a new licensing program to revolutionize the state’s environmental investigation and cleanup process. The program, a result of the 2009 Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA), takes the majority of site remediation work out of the NJDEP’s hands and puts it into the hands of private environmental consultants certified as Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRPs).

While NJDEP will continue to have authority over the remediation process and will maintain the same stringent standards, the department will now rely on LSRPs to oversee the management of site remediation. Property owners will no longer need to seek NJDEP approval prior to proceeding with remediation, which will streamline the cleanup process. All parties with contaminated sites are required to hire an LSRP in order to bring all of the state’s remediation cases into the program by May 2012.

My colleague Bill Pendexter and I are both members of the Licensed Site Remediation Professional Association and hold temporary LSRP licenses. Later this year, when the state finalizes its new licensing exam, we will apply for permanent licenses. LSRPs are bound by a strict code of ethics and must have relevant education and extensive training in order to meet the state’s licensing standards. Experience is also critical—NJDEP requires a minimum of 10 years in the practice of site remediation, with at least five years in New Jersey.

The new group of LSRPs in New Jersey bolsters the state’s resources with highly trained professionals—an important step in addressing the backlog of contaminated sites. The state has also begun updating regulations and issuing guidance documents to clarify technical requirements and introduce more flexibility in the remediation process. Dewberry professionals are supporting the department in developing these regulatory updates, through professional committees. All in all, SRRA has enabled NJDEP to engineer a more customer-friendly approach to remediation, while preserving strict environmental standards.