Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 58:10A-24.6

  • certified mail: include private express carrier service, provided that the private express carrier service provides confirmation of mailing. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
a. If a person violates any of the provisions of this act or any rule or regulation adopted, or order issued, thereunder, the department may institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive or other appropriate relief to prohibit and prevent the violation, and the court may proceed in the action in a summary manner.

b. Any person who violates the provisions of this act, or any rule or regulation adopted, or order issued, hereunder, is liable to a civil administrative penalty of not more than $5,000 for the first offense, not more than $10,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day of violation subsequent to receipt of an order to cease the violation constitutes an additional, separate and distinct offense. No civil administrative penalty shall be levied except subsequent to the notification of the violator 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 the violation; a statement of the amount of the civil penalty to be imposed; and a statement of the violator’s right to a hearing. The violator shall have 20 days from receipt of notice within which to deliver to the department a written request for a hearing. Subsequent to the hearing and upon a finding that a violation has occurred, the department may issue a final order assessing the amount of the penalty. If no hearing is requested, the notice shall become a final order upon the expiration of the 20-day period. Payment of the penalty is due when a final order is issued or when the notice becomes a final order. Agreement to, or payment of a civil administrative penalty shall not be deemed to affect the availability of any other enforcement provision in connection with the violation for which the penalty is levied.

c. Any person who violates the provisions of this act, is liable to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for the first offense, not more than $10,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. Any person violating an administrative order issued pursuant to subsection b. of this section, or a court order issued pursuant to subsection a. of this section, or who fails to pay a civil administrative penalty when due and owing as provided in subsection b. of this section, is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per day of the violation. Each day’s continuance of a violation constitutes a separate and distinct violation. 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 shall have jurisdiction to enforce “the penalty enforcement law.”

d. The department may compromise and settle any claim for a penalty under this section in such amount as the department may determine to be appropriate and equitable under all of the circumstances.

e. Any person who fails to contest or to pay, in whole or in part, a penalty imposed pursuant to this section, or who fails to agree to a payment schedule therefor, within 30 days of the date that the penalty is due and owing, shall be subject to an interest charge on the amount of the penalty from the date that the amount was due and owing. The rate of interest shall be that established by the New Jersey Supreme Court for interest rates on judgments, as set forth in the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey.

f. The penalty provisions of this section shall be in addition to such penalties as may be assessable pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1986, c.102 (C. 58:10A-32) for violations of that act.

g. All penalties, monies, and any interest thereon, assessed and collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the “New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund,” established pursuant to section 10 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C. 58:10-23.11i) for use for any of the authorized purposes of the fund. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to penalties assessed and collected pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1986, c.102 (C. 58:10A-32).

L.1991,c.123,s.6.