NJ Nursery Day Care Environmental
Inspections
Why? Is It Really Necessary
By: Raymond M Pirnat Jr. CMC, CSA
New Jersey day care center directors are feeling the
effects of government intervention in the form of additional
environmental inspection requirements for initial or re
certification of their day care centers.
Is this testing necessary? Probably one
of the most asked questions by day care center directors
to environmental professionals. In short, yes.
The added requirement to have a no further action letter
(the additional environmental requirement) from the DEP
(Department of Environmental Protection) ensures that
children are not being exposed to a hazard that might
have otherwise not been identified with the previous environmental
requirements.
Such is the case of the infamous Kiddie College, a day
care center that operated in Franklinville, Gloucester
County. The discovery of mercury contamination prompted
the DEP to shut down this facility in late July 2006
after workers in the State Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) discovered it had been operating on the
former site of an Accutherm mercury thermometer factory
for over two years. Until it halted operations on July
28, Kiddie College had been providing day care services
for children ages 8 months to 13 years old.
The New York Times reported that “there are 700
day care centers in New Jersey that are within 400 feet
of a toxic site.”
Before 2006 had ended, two more of these dangerous day
care centers were discovered. The first of these day care
centers was found in the former offices of McCandless
Petroleum Company. The second center was identified as
Ultimate Scholar located in Toms River, which was contaminated
by dry cleaning chemicals. Ultimate Scholar opened in
1999 and was shut down in the summer of 2006.
Regardless of who was to blame, it was apparent that
additional oversight was required.
Prior to June of 2006 environmental requirements for
day care centers primarily followed chapter 122- Manual
of Requirements for Child Care Centers .This regulation
did not address the possibility of chemical contamination
from previous use.
Let the confusion begin
New regulations enacted in January of 2007 required day
care center operators to start dealing with two separate
government agencies. Day care center owners were required
to submit a preliminary assessment to the DEP. The DOH
also requested that a copy of the preliminary assessment
be forwarded to them at the same time for their review.
To make matters worse DEP required a hard copy of the
report while DOH requested only electronic data to be
sent.
In many cases owners had waited until very little time
remained for renewal of their license. Quite often they
were faced with the possibility of not having their license
renewed in time due to unforeseen testing requirements,
such as soil or air sampling. Fortunately The Department
of Health was willing to issue temporary licenses until
the Environmental Assessments were reviewed and acted
upon.
After a brief adaptation period the agencies have developed
a cooperative nature. It is important that the environmental
professional retained to conduct the preliminary assessment
ensure that the Day care center operator understands how
to submit the required preliminary assessment to each
agency (DEP and DOH) respectively and in the correct format.
FAQ’s
How long will it take?
Typically a preliminary assessment and subsequent report
can be completed within three to four weeks of the initial
request for information from applicable local and state
government agencies assuming the site visit is conducted
within that time frame. This does not include the time
it takes for the DEP to review the Preliminary Assessment
Report. This is why DOH suggests starting the process
well in advance of an initial application or renewal of
the day care center license, but not more than 6 months
in advance of the renewal date.
How much will it cost?
The costs of the environmental inspection to day care
center operators are of paramount concern. The initial
cost of a preliminary assessment was suggested by the
DEP to be approximately $1,500.00. This cost does not
include any soil ,air or material testing if required.
The DEP does have in place financial assistance in the
form of a grant available for day care center operators.
The Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF)
Child Care Facility Grant is a grant reimbursement up
to a maximum amount of $1,500 available to those child
care facilities that submit a complete Preliminary Assessment
(PA) in order to obtain a no further action (NFA) letter.
The grant is provided by the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the New Jersey Economic
Development Authority (NJEDA) and is available to an existing
or prospective owner or operator of a child care facility
that is licensed or who has applied for a license with
the Department of Children and Families (DCF) pursuant
to P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.). A link
to the HDSRF child facility grant web page is provided
here ---www.nj.gov/dep/srp/finance/hdsrf/hdsrf_ccfg.htm.
In the end we all want, in fact we demand that the locations
where our children will spend a great deal of time is
safe from hazards. It’s tedious, and expensive, but the
record shows it’s necessary.
Atlantic Environmental Inc
2 East Blackwell Street
Dover, NJ 07801
(800) 344-4414
(973) 366-4660
(973) 366-3116 Fax
info@atlenv.com
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