DEP REAL Rules

Ryan Anderson is the Manager for the Bureau of Freshwater Wetlands and Highlands Permitting at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Land Resource Protection. He previously served as the manager of the Bureau of Coastal Permitting giving him a well-rounded regulatory background. During his 25 years at NJDEP, Ryan has primarily focused on managing and carrying out the review of permit applications with the goal of balancing responsible development with conservation of environmentally sensitive areas such as freshwater wetlands, wetland buffers, streams and stream corridors.

Colleen Keller is the Director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Land Resource Protection with 28 years of experience at the NJDEP managing and protecting the state's natural resources. Colleen leads the Division overseeing the permitting and enforcement of critical environmental regulations including Freshwater Wetlands, Flood Hazard Areas, and the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (CAFRA)/Waterfront Development. She is also the Federal Consistency Coordinator for the State's Coastal Management Program.

Vincent Mazzei serves as New Jersey’s first State Floodplain Administrator, responsible for developing and coordinating flood plain management in collaboration with local floodplain managers across the state. Vince, a licensed professional engineer and leading force in flood risk assessment and mitigation in the Garden State for 38 years, is charged with ensuring consistent implementation of flood control standards at varying levels of government in New Jersey. His expertise and ability to make complicated topics accessible will help to support local governments grappling with climate-induced flooding.

Steve Olivera serves as the Manager of the Bureau of Flood Hazard and Stormwater Engineering within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Land Resource Protection. With 25 years of experience at NJDEP, he leads efforts to protect and manage New Jersey’s flood hazard areas through the implementation and enforcement of the Flood Hazard Area Control Act Rules and Stormwater Management Rules. Steve is a licensed Professional Engineer, and his professional background includes extensive expertise in hydrology, hydraulics, and stormwater management.

Michael C. Russell is the Chief Economist at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where he leads the Department’s regulatory impact analysis efforts as part of the rulemaking process. His additional work reflects a growing focus on the intersection of climate risk, municipal finance, and affordability at the state and local level. In 2025, Michael co-authored The Economic Risks of Climate Change in New Jersey, a forward-looking synthesis examining potential impacts on property markets, infrastructure, tourism revenue, and other aspects of the statewide economy. He has taught economics at the university and secondary level and previously led sustainability and applied research initiatives in academic settings.

Patrick Ryan is an Assistant Director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Land Resource Protection and has 20+ years of experience at the NJDEP managing and protecting New Jersey’s natural resources. In his current role, Patrick oversees the Bureaus of Application Support and Database Management, Freshwater Wetlands and Highlands Permitting, and Flood Hazard and Stormwater Engineering, regulating construction activities within freshwater wetlands, wetland buffers, streams and stream corridors, and flood hazard areas. Patrick has extensive expertise in wetland ecosystems, ecological assessments, floodplains, riparian zones, and solutions-based resource management focusing on navigating complex regulatory landscapes.

Janet Stewart is the Assistant Director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Land Resource Protection and has 26 years of experience at the NJDEP managing and protecting New Jersey’s natural resources. In her current role, Janet oversees the Bureau of Coastal Permitting and the Bureau of Coastal Land Use Enforcement, regulating constructions activities within the coastal areas and ensuring permit compliance. Janet’s extensive expertise includes permitting and compliance matters in New Jersey’s diverse coastal zone, urban redevelopment areas and coastal wetland ecosystems.