[brief] To begin, Appellants identify no specific TMDL that may be violated here and their concern for Project impacts to Hewitt Brook, an adjacent stream, is assuaged by evidence in the record showing Project setbacks and a spill plan will avoid permanent impacts and the previously disturbed riparian area near the Brook will only experience temporary construction impacts.  (Aa68; Aa143-155).  More broadly though, water quality is addressed in numerous ways.  For instance, as part of the WQPA statewide application (including in the Highlands), the DEP Commissioner must undertake a continuing planning process (“CPP”) which, among other things, assesses water quality statewide to set goals and standards and develops a statewide implementation strategy to achieve those standards.  N.J.S.A. 58:11A-7.  That strategy incorporates the \textsuperscript{4}  Even though the WQMP consistency here did not require stormwater analysis, the record shows that [...] nonetheless addressed stormwater to the Council’s satisfaction by designing “permanent stormwater Best Management Practices” that accommodate for impervious surfaces including low-impact structural BMPs, such as rain gardens or bioretention basins per DEP’s separate stormwater regulations.  (Aa330).  TMDLs as well as other federal requirements. \(^5\)  The CPP “is broadly accomplished throughout the Department” in order “to achieve the water quality standards and objectives and meet the requirements of the [WQPA] and the Clean Water Act. ”  N.J.A.C. 7:15-2.2.  DEP’s CPP sets forth the comprehensive manner in which DEP addresses water quality. \(^6\)  DEP has implemented this CPP strategy to ensure there is no conflict with water quality and areawide WQMPs through separate regulatory programs including the Stormwater program and the NJPDES permitting program, which would implement any necessary requirements arising from any applicable TMDL.  The 2015 WQMP rule proposal explained that DEP proposed to revise the WQMP rules to better integrate them with existing permitting programs:  By combining the determination of technical WQM plan consistency with the review and assessment of a permit application's technical merits, the technical criteria of the applicable environmental regulations will serve as the determination of consistency with the water quality and quantity considerations of a WQM plan….  ---  \(^5\)  These statutes, rules, and processes form the backbone of DEP’s water pollution oversight and are augmented by other authorities as well.  See, e.g. In re Stormwater Management Rules, 384 N.J. Super. 451, 454-55 (App. Div. 2006) (describing objectives of Stormwater Management Act, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-93 to -99 which applies to municipalities and DEP).  \(^6\)  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Water Resources Management  New Jersey’s Continuing Planning Process: Executive Summary (January 7, 2025, 11:57 PM), https://www.nj.gov/dep/wqmp/docs/cpp.pdf (emphasis added).  [See 47 N.J.R. 2531(a) (Oct. 19, 2015) (emphasis added). ]  As such, DEP’s WQMP rulemaking contemplated that existing permitting and regulatory programs, such as the NJPDES and stormwater requirements would also address WQMP consistency requirements, including applicable TMDLs.  As the substantial record on appeal demonstrates DEP applied the correct Highlands rules to the Project here, DEP correctly found the Project consistent with the WQMP under its existing water quality rules.