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26:2C-19. Actions to prohibit and prevent violations; civil administrative penalty; civil penalty; notice of release of air contaminants; penalties; alternative dispute resolution
19. a. If any person violates any of the provisions of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) or any code, rule, regulation or order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, the department may institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive or any other appropriate relief to prohibit and prevent such violation or violations and the court may proceed in the action in a summary manner.
b. Any person who violates the provisions of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) or any code, rule, regulation or order adopted or issued pursuant thereto shall be liable to a civil administrative penalty of not more than $10,000 for the first offense, not more than $25,000 for the second offense, and not more than $50,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct offense. No civil administrative penalty shall be levied except upon an administrative order issued pursuant to section 14 of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-14).
c. 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.
d. Any person who violates the provisions of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) or any code, rule, regulation, or order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, or a court order issued pursuant to subsection a. of this section, or who fails to pay a civil administrative penalty in full pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1962, c.215 (C.26:2C-14.1), is subject, upon order of the court, to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for the first offense, not more than $25,000 for the second offense, and not more than $50,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which the violation continues, or each day in which the civil administrative penalty is not paid in full, constitutes an additional, separate and distinct offense. Any penalty imposed 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 Law Division of the Superior Court has jurisdiction to enforce ~the penalty enforcement law.~
e. A person who causes a release of air contaminants in a quantity or concentration which poses a potential threat to public health, welfare or the environment or which might reasonably result in citizen complaints shall immediately notify the department. A person who fails to so notify the department is liable to the penalties and procedures prescribed in this section.
f. Any person who:
(1) purposely or knowingly violates the provisions of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.), or any code, rule, regulation, administrative order, or court order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, is guilty of a crime of the third degree;
(2) purposely or knowingly violates any federally mandated air pollution control requirement, any operating permit condition, or any fee or filing requirement imposed in connection with an operating permit is guilty of a crime of the third degree, the sentence for which may include, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, an enhanced fine of $10,000 per day per violation;
(3) purposely or knowingly makes any false material statement, representation, or certification in any form, notice, statement, or report required in connection with an operating permit, or who purposely or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required by an operating permit, is guilty of a crime of the third degree, the sentence for which may include, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, an enhanced fine of $10,000 per day per violation;
(4) recklessly violates the provisions of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.), or any code, rule, regulation, administrative order, or court order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
g. In determining whether an odor unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of life or property in violation of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) or any code, rule, regulation or order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, the department shall consider all of the relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, the character, severity, frequency, and duration of the odor, and the number of persons affected thereby. In considering these and other relevant facts and circumstances, no one factor shall be dispositive, but each shall be considered relevant in determining whether an odor interferes with the enjoyment of life or property, and, if so, whether such interference is unreasonable considering all of the circumstances.
The department shall publish in the New Jersey Register the guidelines and procedures utilized by the department for the investigation of citizen complaints regarding odors.
h. The department shall establish procedures for alternative dispute resolution as an option for settlement of contested cases. Alternative dispute resolution shall be voluntary and shall not be mandated by the department.
L.1954,c.212,s.19; amended 1962,c.215,s.11; 1967,c.105,s.1; 1985,c.12,s.1; 1989,c.333; 1995,c.188,s.9.
26:2C-19.1. Findings, declaration
1. The Legislature finds that equipment in facilities regulated by the ~Air Pollution Control Act (1954),~ P.L.1954, c.212, may malfunction or fail to perform optimally, even when carefully maintained and operated; that violations of the act may occur due to an unforeseeable and unavoidable malfunction, during equipment start-up or shut-down, or during necessary equipment maintenance due to the inherently intricate nature of mechanical equipment; and that these violations should not be accorded penalties as long as any resulting air emission causes no potential threat to the public health, welfare or the environment. The Legislature therefore finds and declares that it is the policy of this State to protect the public health, welfare and the environment, to promote the careful operation and maintenance of equipment in facilities regulated by the ~Air Pollution Control Act (1954),~ and to reduce the unnecessary burden of monetary penalties for violations caused by a non-recurring equipment malfunction, equipment start-up, or equipment shut-down or during necessary equipment maintenance by providing an affirmative defense to liability for penalties when a facility is operated and maintained carefully, when all reasonable steps are taken to minimize emission levels caused by a violation, and when the emissions do not cause a potential threat to the public health, welfare or the environment.
L.1993,c.89,s.1.
26:2C-19.2. Entitlement to affirmative defense
2. a. A person shall be entitled to an affirmative defense to liability for penalties for a violation of a condition, emission rate, limit, or standard, required pursuant to a permit issued pursuant to P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) or a violation of any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to P.L.1954, c.212, when the violation occurs as a result of an equipment malfunction, an equipment start-up, or an equipment shut-down, or during the performance of necessary equipment maintenance. A person shall be entitled to this affirmative defense only if the person complies with the provisions of subsection b. of this section.
b. A person asserting an affirmative defense pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall notify the department of the violation by 5:00 p.m. of the second full calendar day following the occurrence, or if due diligence was exercised to discover the violation, by 5:00 p.m. of the second full calendar day after becoming aware of the occurrence, and, within 30 days thereof, shall submit written documentation on the circumstances of the violation and demonstrating as applicable, that:
(1) the violation occurred, and was caused by an equipment malfunction, an equipment start-up, or an equipment shut-down, or during the performance of necessary equipment maintenance, as applicable;
(2) the facility was being operated with due care;
(3) the violation did not result from operator error or failure to maintain the equipment with due care;
(4) the person has taken all reasonable steps to minimize levels of emissions caused by the violation; and
(5) with respect to violations caused by a malfunction, the malfunction is not a part of a recurrent pattern.
L.1993,c.89,s.2.
26:2C-19.3. No entitlement to affirmative defense
3. A person shall not be entitled to an affirmative defense to liability pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.89 (C.26:2C-19.2) for any violation that causes the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in a quantity or concentration which poses a potential threat to public health, welfare or the environment.
L.1993,c.89,s.3.
26:2C-19.4. Construction of act
4. Nothing in P.L.1993, c.89 (C.26:2C-19.1 et seq.) shall be construed to limit or alter the responsibility of a person who causes a release of air contaminants to notify the department immediately as required pursuant to subsection e. of section 19 of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-19).
L.1993,c.89,s.4.
26:2C-19.5. Rules, regulations; unavailability of affirmative defense
5. a. The department shall adopt, pursuant to the ~Administrative Procedure Act,~ P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations that establish limitations upon the maximum frequency and duration of violations resulting from equipment malfunctions, equipment start-ups, equipment shut-downs, and the performance of necessary equipment maintenance operations for which an affirmative defense may be asserted pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.89 (C.26:2C-19.2). The limitations shall be based upon the operating history of similar sources on an industry basis.
b. The affirmative defense established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.89 (C.26:2C-19.2), shall not be available with respect to violations arising from equipment malfunctions, equipment start-ups, or equipment shut-downs, or during necessary equipment maintenance operations, that occur more frequently or persist for a longer duration than the maximum limitations established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
L.1993,c.89,s.5.
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