SBB intern, Elliot Shepherd, and classmates at Ocean County’s marine sciences MATES program have brought forth this list of suggestions to improve the DEP Bulletin, the fortnightly tome with which the DEP allows the public to track some of the changes in permit applications. These ideas have been forwarded to the DEP Land Use Regulatory Program and to statewide environmental leaders.

These suggestions are made by Elliot Shepherd, an intern at Save Barnegat Bay during the spring of 2004, with help from students from the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science at the Ocean County Vocational School. The suggestions are made, in majority, by learned people with a good understanding of terms and science. The focus of the suggestions, however, is to have a citizen without a knowledge of science and technical terms be able to better understand the bulletin.

1. Structure the printing process so that the subscribers can order only those counties in which they are interested. This will cut back on paper use and provide an easier reading experience.

2. Emphasize permit type changes by underlining and/or bolding the heading. (Ex. Freshwater Wetlands, CAFRA, Stream Encroachment, etc.)

3. Remove the space from in between the address and name of the people in the book. (Ex.)
Hurly Daniel
303 Downer Ave
(Take this space out)
Mantoloking, NJ 08742

4. Continuously show permit type headings on the top of every page.

5. Enlarge font up to at least standard (10 or 12). Space can be reduced between each entry.

6. Expand the glossary to include More terms, Ex. (Footprint of disturbance, Delineation, Transition Area). The average citizen does not know the meaning of these terms.

7. Show full names, full addresses, and full location of ALL projects.

8. Describe “Miscellaneous” and/or put the actual project statement.