New Jersey P.L.1984, c.240

by New Jersey Legislature

CHAPTER 240, LAWS OF 1984

AN ACT concerning the forfeiture of conveyances for violations of certain environmental laws, and amending P.L.1970, c.39, P.L.1976, c.141 and P.L.1977, c.74.

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 9 of P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-9) is amended to read as follows:

C.13:1E-9 Enforcement of solid waste regulations.

9. a. All codes, rules and regulations adopted by the department related to solid waste collection and disposal shall have the force and effect of law. Such codes, rules and regulations shall be observed throughout the State and shall be enforced by the department and by every local board of health, or county health department, as the case may be. The department and the local board of health, or the county health department, as the case may be, shall have the right to enter a solid waste facility at any time in order to determine compliance with the registration statement and engineering design, and with the provisions of all applicable laws or rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. The municipal attorney or an attorney retained by a municipality in which a violation of such laws or rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto is alleged to have occurred shall act as counsel to a local board of health. The county counsel or an attorney retained by a county in which a violation of such laws or rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto is alleged to have occurred shall act as counsel to the county health department. Any county health department may charge and collect from the owner or operator of any sanitary landfill facility within its jurisdiction such fees for enforcement activities as may be established by ordinance or resolution adopted by the governing body of any such county. Such fees shall be established in accordance with a fee schedule regulation to be adopted by the department, pursuant to law, within 60 days of the effective date of this amendatory act and shall be utilized exclusively to fund such enforcement activities. All enforcement activities undertaken by county health departments pursuant to this subsection shall conform to all applicable performance and administrative standards adopted pursuant to section 10 of the "County Environmental Health Act," P.L.1977, c.443 (C.26:3A2-28).

b. The commissioner, a local board of health or county health department may institute an action or proceeding in the Superior Court for injunctive and other relief, including the appointment of a receiver for any solid waste collection or disposal facility or operation, which is established or operated in violation of this act, or of any code, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to this act and said court may proceed in the action in a summary manner. In any such proceeding the court may grant temporary or interlocutory relief, notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.48:2-24. Such relief may include, singly or in combination:

(1) A temporary or permanent injunction;

(2) Assessment of the violator for the costs of any investigation, inspection, or monitoring survey which led to the establishment of the violation, and for the reasonable costs of preparing and litigating the case under this subsection;

(3) Assessment of the violator for any cost incurred by the State in removing, correcting or terminating the adverse effects upon water and air quality resulting from any violation of any provision of this act or any rule, regulation or condition of approval for which the action under this subsection may have been brought;

(4) Assessment against the violator of compensatory damages for any loss or destruction of wildlife, fish or aquatic life, and for any other actual damages caused by any violation of this act or any rule, regulation or condition of approval established pursuant to this act for which the action under this subsection may have been brought. Assessments under this subsection shall be paid to the State Treasurer, or to the local board of health, or to the county health department, as the case may be, except that compensatory damages may be paid by specific order of the court to any persons who have been aggrieved by the violation. If a proceeding is instituted by a local board of health or county health department, notice thereof shall be served upon the commissioner in the same manner as if the commissioner were a named party to the action or proceeding. The department may intervene as a matter of right in any proceeding brought by a local board of health or county health department.

c. Any person who violates the provisions of this act or any code, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to this act shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $25,000.00 per day, to be collected in a civil action commenced by a local board or health, a county health department, or the commissioner by a summary proceeding under "the penalty enforcement law" (N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.) in the Superior Court or a municipal court, all of which shall have jurisdiction to enforce "the penalty enforcement law" in connection. with this act. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues after the date given by which the violation must be eliminated in accordance with the order of the department shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct offense.

d. The department is hereby authorized and empowered to compromise and settle any claim for a penalty under this section in such amount in the discretion of the department as may appear appropriate and equitable under all of the circumstances, including a rebate of any such penalty paid up to 90% thereof, where such person satisfies the department within one year or such other period as the department may deem reasonable that such violation has been eliminated or removed or that such order or injunction has been met or satisfied, as the case may be.

e. Any person who knowingly:

(1) Transports any hazardous waste to a facility or any other place which does not have authorization from the department to accept such waste;

(2) Generates and causes or permits to be transported any hazardous waste to a facility or any other place which does not have authorization from the department to accept such waste;

(3) Disposes, treats, stores or transports hazardous waste without authorization from the department;

(4) Makes any false or misleading statement to any person who prepares any hazardous waste application, label, manifest, record, report, design or other document required to be submitted to the department; or

(5) Makes any false or misleading statement on any hazardous waste application, label, manifest, record, report, design or other document required to be submitted to the department :shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the third degree and, notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $25,000.00 for the first offense and not more than $50,000.00 for the second and each subsequent offense and restitution, in addition to any other appropriate disposition authorized by subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-2.

f. Any person who recklessly:

(1) Transports any hazardous waste to a facility or any other place which does not have authorization from the department to accept such waste;

(2) Generates and causes or permits to be transported any hazardous waste to a facility or any other place which does not have authorization from the department to accept such waste;

(3) Disposes, treats, stores or transports hazardous waste without authorization from the department;

(4) Makes any false or misleading statement to any person who prepares any hazardous waste application, label, manifest, record, report, design or other document required to be submitted to the department; or

(5) Makes any false or misleading statement on any hazardous waste application, label, manifest, record, report, design or other document required to be submitted to the department,

shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

g. Any person who, regardless of intent, generates and causes or permits any hazardous waste to be transported, transports, or receives transported hazardous waste without completing and submitting to the department a hazardous waste manifest in accordance with the provisions of this act or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

h. All conveyances used or intended for use in the willful discharge, in violation of the provisions of P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.), of any solid waste, or hazardous waste as defined in P.L.1976, c.99 (C.13:1E-38 et seq.) are subject to forfeiture to the State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1981, c.387 (C.13:1K-1 et seq.).

2. Section 22 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C. 58:10-23.11u) is amended to read as follows:

C.58:10-23.11u Violations; penalties.

22. a. Any person who knowingly gives or causes to be given any false information as a part of, or in response to, any claim made pursuant to this act for cleanup costs, removal costs, direct damages or indirect damages resulting from a discharge, or who otherwise violates any of the provisions of this act or any rule promulgated thereunder shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $25,000.00 for each offense, to be collected in a summary proceeding under "the penalty enforcement law" (N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.) or in a court of competent jurisdiction wherein injunctive relief has been requested. The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction to enforce "the penalty enforcement law." If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct offense.

b. If any person violates any of the provisions of this act, the department may institute civil action in the Superior Court for injunctive relief to prohibit and prevent the continuation of the violation or violations and said court may proceed in a summary manner.

c. All conveyances used or intended for use in the willful discharge of any hazardous substance are subject to forfeiture to the State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1981, c.387 (C.13:1K-1 et seq.).

3. Section 10 of P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-10) is amended to read as follows:

C.58:10A-10 Powers of commissioner.

10. a. Whenever, on the basis of any information available to him, the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, or any rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation, or permit issued pursuant to this act he shall:

(1) Issue an order requiring any such person to comply in accordance with subsection b. of this section; or

(2) Bring a civil action in accordance with subsection c. of this section; or

(3) Levy a civil administrative penalty in accordance with subsection d. of this section; or

(4) Bring an action for a civil penalty in accordance with subsection e. of this section; or

(5) Petition the Attorney General to bring a criminal action in accordance with subsection f. of this section.

Use of any of the remedies specified under this section shall not preclude use of any other remedy specified.

b. Whenever, on the basis of any information available to him, the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, or of any rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation or permit issued pursuant to this act, he may issue an order (1) specifying the provision or provisions of this act, or the rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation, or permit of which he is in violation, (2) citing the action which caused such violation, (3) requiring compliance with such provision or provisions, and (4) giving notice to the person of his right to a hearing on the matters contained in the order.

c. The commissioner is authorized to commence a civil action in Superior Court for appropriate relief for any violation of this act or of a permit issued hereunder. Such relief may include, singly or in combination:

(1) A temporary or permanent injunction;

(2) Assessment of the violator for the costs of any investigation, inspection, or monitoring survey which led to the establishment of the violation, and for the reasonable costs of preparing and litigating the case under this subsection;

(3) Assessment of the violator for any cost incurred by the State in removing, correcting or terminating the adverse effects upon water quality resulting from any unauthorized discharge of pollutants for which the action under this subsection may have been brought;

(4) Assessment against the violator of compensatory damages for any loss or destruction of wildlife, fish or aquatic life, and for any other actual damages caused by an unauthorized discharge.

Assessments under this subsection shall be paid to the State Treasurer, except that compensatory damages shall be paid by specific order of the court to any persons who have been aggrieved by the unauthorized discharge.

d. The commissioner is authorized to assess a civil penalty of not more than $5,000.00 for each violation and additional penalties of not more than $500.00 for each day during which such violation continues after receipt of an order from the department. Any amount assessed under this subsection shall fall within a range established by regulation by the commissioner for violations of similar type, seriousness, and duration. No assessment shall be levied pursuant to this section until after the discharger has been notified by certified mail or personal service. The notice shall include a reference to the section of the statute, regulation, order or permit condition violated; a concise statement of the facts alleged to constitute a violation; a statement of the amount of the civil penalties to be imposed; and a statement of the party's right to a hearing. The ordered party shall have 20 days from receipt of the notice within which to deliver to the commissioner a written request for a hearing. After the hearing and upon finding that a violation has occurred, the commissioner may issue a final order after assessing the amount of the fine specified in the notice. If no hearing is requested, then the notice shall become a final order after the expiration of the 20-day period. Payment of the assessment is due when a final order is issued or the notice becomes a final order. The authority to levy an administrative order is in addition to all other enforcement provisions in this act, and the payment of any assessment shall not be deemed to affect the availability of any other enforcement provisions in connection with the violation for which the assessment is levied. Any civil penalty assessed under this section may be compromised by the commissioner upon the posting of a performance bond by the violator, or upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner may establish by regulation.

e. Any person who violates this act or an administrative order issued pursuant to subsection b. or a court order issued pursuant to subsection c., or who fails to pay an administrative assessment in full pursuant to subsection d. shall be subject upon order of a court to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.00 per day of such violation, and each day's continuance of the violation shall constitute a separate violation. Any penalty incurred under this subsection may be recovered with costs in a summary proceeding pursuant to "the penalty enforcement law" (N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.). The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction to enforce "the penalty enforcement law" in conjunction with this act.

f. Any person who willfully or negligently violates this act shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree and shall be punished by fine of not less than $2,500.00 nor more than $25,000.00 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both. Punishment for a second offense under this subsection shall be a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $50,000.00 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both. Any person who knowingly makes a false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this act or who falsifies, tampers with or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained pursuant to this act shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both.

g. All conveyances used or intended for use in the willful discharge, in violation of the provisions of P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.), of any pollutant or toxic pollutant are subject to forfeiture to the State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1981, c.387 (C.13:1K-1 et seq.).

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

Approved December 28, 1984.