Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The Department may
assess a civil administrative penalty pursuant to this section against each violator
who approves, endorses, allows construction or operation to commence or proceed,
builds, modifies, installs, replaces, expands or operates a facility or treatment
works, as defined by N.J.A.C. 7:14A, without the proper authorization or in
violation of any rule, administrative order, sewer connection ban, or permit issued
or imposed pursuant to the Water Pollution Control Act.
(b) The Department shall determine the amount of
the civil administrative penalty for violations described in this section based on
the seriousness of the violation and conduct of the violator based on the following:
1. For any unauthorized approval, endorsement or
allowance to commence or proceed to build, modify, install, replace, expand or
operate a facility or treatment works, the civil administrative penalty shall be in
an amount determined as follows: civil administrative penalty = (seriousness) x
(conduct) x ($ 1.00)
i. The seriousness factor
shall be equal to one-half of the design flow (in gallons per day) indicated in the
permit application for that facility or project, or if there is no permit
application, then from the Projected Flow table in
7:14A-23.3; and
ii. The conduct factor is either:
(1) 1.00 if the conduct is intentional,
deliberate, purposeful, knowing or willful; or
(2) 0.75 for any other conduct.
iii. Each approval, endorsement or
allowance to commence or proceed shall be considered an additional, separate and
distinct violation;
2. For
building, installation, modification, replacement or expansion of a facility or
treatment works without the required Department approval, the civil administrative
penalty shall be in an amount determined as follows: civil administrative penalty =
(seriousness) x (conduct) x ($ 1.00)
i. The
seriousness factor shall be equal to one-half of the design flow (in gallons per
day) as determined from the permit application for that facility or project, or if
there is no permit application or if the design flow is not indicated on the permit
application, then from the Projected Flow table in
7:14A-23.3.
ii. The conduct factor is either:
(1) 1.00 if the conduct is intentional,
deliberate, purposeful, knowing or willful; or
(2) 0.75 for any other conduct.
iii. Each day or part thereof that the
construction of the facility or treatment works continues without the required
Department approval shall be considered an additional, separate and distinct
violation.
3. For the
operation of any facility or treatment works, the civil administrative penalty shall
be in an amount equal to, at the sole discretion of the Department, either:
i. Twice the total penalty for the illegal
building, installation, modification, replacement or expansion of a facility of
treatment works calculated pursuant to (b)2 above; or
ii. Equal to the product of the following
equation: civil administrative penalty = (seriousness) x (conduct) x ($ 1.00)
(1) The seriousness factor shall be equal to the
total design flow (in gallons per day) as determined from the permit application for
that facility or project, or if there is no permit application or if the design flow
is not indicated on the permit application, then from the Projected Flow table in
7:14A-23.3.
(2) The conduct factor shall be either:
(A) 1.00 if the conduct is intentional,
deliberate, purposeful, knowing or willful; or
(B) 0.75 for any other conduct.
(3) Each day or part thereof that the
operation of the facility or treatment works continues without the required
Department approval shall be considered an additional, separate and distinct
violation.
(c) A violation under this section is non-minor
and, therefore, not subject to a grace period.