Township Engineer Praised for Advocating Reform on State Permit Delays

Nicholas Mistretta

At the Montgomery Township Committee meeting on March 5, Township Administrator Lori Savron took time during her report to highlight the efforts of Township Engineer Mark Herrmann, praising him for raising concerns about state permitting delays that have affected municipal projects across New Jersey.

Savron told the committee that Herrmann recently spoke at a watershed conference attended by municipal officials, consultants, and state representatives, where he addressed what she described as widespread frustration among municipalities over delays within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) permitting process.

According to Savron, Herrmann spoke candidly about the challenges local governments face when navigating regulatory approvals while also trying to comply with state mandates and grant requirements.

“He made a comment to the DEP regarding some issues that Montgomery Township — and many communities across the state — are experiencing with delays in DEP’s review of permits,” Savron said.

She noted that Herrmann’s remarks were well received by conference attendees, including residents and consultants who approached him afterward to thank him for speaking up.

“People came up to Mark saying it was about time someone said what he said, ”Savron told the committee. “It was standing-ovation time for Mark.”

Savron said Herrmann has requested that DEP officials meet with Montgomery Township within two weeks to discuss the issue and help resolve conflicts between regulatory requirements and project timelines.

Regional watershed effort
Savron emphasized that Montgomery Township has been a leader in coordinating a regional watershed improvement plan with other municipalities in the Lower Millstone Basin, an effort that took more than a year to organize.

Regional watershed planning, she said, has been encouraged by the DEP itself. However, municipalities are facing challenges because different divisions within the agency are operating under separate timelines and requirements.

“One arm of DEP is saying municipalities must meet stormwater regulations by a certain date,” Savron explained. “Another arm is encouraging regional planning and providing grants to help fund those projects. But there’s a disconnect in the timing of when work can be done and when funding can be used.”

In some cases, municipalities are prohibited from beginning work on projects until permits are issued, even when grant funding has already been awarded.

Examples of delays
Savron shared several examples of how those delays have impacted Montgomery Township projects.

One involved the construction of a flood wall designed to protect the township’s wastewater treatment facility. The township waited more than 600 days for the necessary regulatory permits.

During that period, Tropical Storm Ida struck the region, causing more than six feet of flooding and significant damage to the treatment plant.

The delay also pushed construction into the COVID-19 pandemic era, when construction costs surged. As a result, the project ultimately bid at $18.2 million, well above the $13.6 million estimate. Savron noted that Herrmann was later able to secure FEMA funding to help offset those additional costs.

In another case, a small wetlands permit for approximately 200 square feet of disturbance to a roadside drainage swale—needed to complete a public recreation path—took 539 days to process.

Savron said the permit was only issued after township officials escalated the matter to bureau management and demonstrated that much larger development projects were being reviewed more quickly.

A third example involved a state grant secured in 2022 to retrofit two aging detention basins with green infrastructure designed to improve stormwater capacity and water quality.

Savron said it took nearly three years to finalize the grant agreement, and the project has faced multiple design review delays. As a result, the project has still not been advertised for bids, and the funding is scheduled to expire later this year.

Call for coordination
Savron said the township hopes a meeting with DEP officials will lead to improved coordination and a clearer path forward for projects not only in Montgomery but across the state.

“This meeting needs to happen,” she said, noting that Montgomery’s efforts could help bring attention to issues affecting many municipalities.

Savron also praised Herrmann’s leadership in the field of municipal engineering.

“We’re very proud that he continues to show how he is a champion and a leader,” she said.

She added that township officials remain hopeful that the discussions will help align regulatory deadlines, watershed planning efforts, and grant funding requirements so projects can move forward in a timely manner.

“We’ll be championing this on behalf of many other municipalities in New Jersey,” Savron said. “Something needs to change.”

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com