IN THE MATTER OF THOMAS ORBAN/SQUARE PROPERTIES, LLC, FRESHWATER WETLANDS GENERAL PERMIT 6 NO. 1103-03-0003.1 FWW070001, CHALLENGED BY SAVE HAMILTON OPEN SPACE (DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION) - Published

Save Hamilton Open Space, a local citizens group, challenged the Department of Environmental Protection's issuance of a freshwater wetlands general permit 6 to Thomas Orban/Square Properties, LLC in connection with the construction of a shopping center in Hamilton Township

The court affirms the Commissioner's decision that SHOS is not entitled to an adjudicatory hearing. Because the court is unable, however, to discern where the agency has explained why Square Properties' use of the GSR-32 methodology to calculate recharge is consonant with the Department's regulations, which appear to expressly prohibit its use in these circumstances, it vacates the GP6 permit and remands for further fact-finding. In light of this disposition, the court does not address SHOS's argument that the agency needed to proceed through rulemaking.