New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 1I - PROCESSING OF DAMAGE CLAIMS PURSUANT TO THE SANITARY LANDFILL FACILITY CLOSURE AND CONTINGENCY FUND ACT
Subchapter 3 - CLAIMS PROCEDURE
Section 7:1I-3.3 - Contents of claim

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 7:1I-3.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

(a) Claims shall be typewritten or written legibly in ink, and shall contain the following information:

1. The name of the claimant;

2. The street address of the claimant;

3. The mailing address of the claimant;

4. The telephone number of the claimant during normal daytime business hours;

5. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and relationship to the claimant of any person designated to receive communications from the Department pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:1I-3.6;

6. Whether the claimant is an individual, general partnership, limited partnership, corporation, local government entity, Federal government entity, or state government entity;

7. A statement that the claimant has actually incurred damages, as such term is defined in N.J.A.C. 7:1I-1.5, that the claimant has not received compensation from any other source for such damages, and that the claimant is not an owner or operator or responsible party in relation to the claim. Such statement need not be specific about the amount or nature of such damages;

8. If the claim is for property value diminution, a statement that the claimant is attempting to sell the subject property. The Department shall deny, without prejudice, a claim for property value diminution which is filed after the effective date of these rules which does not contain this statement. The claimant may again file the claim upon commencing efforts to sell the subject property;

9. In accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:1I-2.3(f), a statement that the claimant did not know of the existence of the sanitary landfill facility and did not know, nor reasonably could have known, of the potential that property value diminution could result by virtue of purchasing property near the particular sanitary landfill facility in question;

10. If the claim is for property value diminution and is made pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:1I-4.8, all documents required by N.J.A.C. 7:1I-4.8 are to be submitted with the claim, including a statement that the claimant has contracted to sell or has sold the subject property and that the claimant will allow the Department or its agents access to the property if claimant still maintains title to the property. If the property has not been sold, claimant must submit within 30 days of the signing of a binding agreement of sale a copy of the contract of sale to allow adequate time for the Department to schedule an appraisal;

11. A statement that the claimant cannot benefit from a covenant not to sue pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:10B-13.1 or 13.2 for the sanitary landfill facility at issue and why;

12. A statement that the damages being claimed are not the proximate result of additional remediation to remove an institutional control at the sanitary landfill facility;

13. In accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:1I-2.6(f)3, a statement that the claimant is the current owner of the sanitary landfill facility who acquired the sanitary landfill facility after the facility ceased operating, but prior to January 1, 1982, and the claimant took no part in the sanitary landfill facility's operation; and

14. A statement that the claimant is the owner of a sanitary landfill facility for which a final remediation document was issued for the entire sanitary landfill facility or any part thereof, and that all of the following apply:
i. The remediation which is the subject of the final remediation document involved the use of an institutional control and not an engineering control;

ii. The claimant is a person who qualifies to be relieved from liability pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11g(d) or (f) for the contamination at the sanitary landfill facility and why; and

iii. The Department has ordered the claimant to remediate the contamination.

(b) The claimant shall submit to the Department the following types of information requested by the Department:

1. The location of the sanitary landfill facility which the claimant believes to be the proximate cause of the damages incurred, including the name of the site, the street address, the municipality, and the county, including without limitation the following:
i. Whether any person, or owner or operator of the sanitary landfill facility has admitted responsibility for the damages claimed or for the condition from which the claim arose, or liability for the amount of damages for which the claim is being made;

ii. If any such person has admitted responsibility or liability pursuant to (b)1i above, the names of such persons and the nature of such statements or admissions;

iii. Whether a final remediation document was issued concerning the sanitary landfill facility or a portion thereof, and whether the remediation at the sanitary landfill facility involved an institutional control and/or engineering control;

iv. Whether the covenant not to sue pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:10B-13.1 or 13.2 applies to the sanitary landfill facility or a portion of the sanitary landfill facility;

v. Whether the claimant filed a claim against the sanitary landfill facility's Environmental Impairment Liability Fund established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 13:1E-109;

vi. Whether the claimant filed a claim for reimbursement against the Municipal Landfill Closure and Remediation Fund established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 13:1E-116.1; and

vii. Whether the claimant has applied for financial assistance or a grant from the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:10B-4 or the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Remediation, Upgrade and Closure Fund, N.J.S.A. 58:10A-37.3.

2. A description of any damage to real property located thereon, including without limitation the following:
i. The date on which the damage occurred;

ii. The precise location of the damaged real property, including the street address, the tax lot and block, the municipality, and the county;

iii. A description of the predominant use of the damaged real property;

iv. A detailed description of the damage to the real property, including whether the damages include costs associated with installing, maintaining, monitoring or removing engineering or institutional controls;

v. An estimate for the cost to remedy the damage, and the name, address and qualifications of the person making the estimate; and

vi. A description of the claimant's interest in the damaged real property, and documents evidencing such interest. Documents evidencing fee title to the damaged real property shall include an affidavit of title executed by the claimant, together with either a copy of the recorded deed conveying title to the claimant, or an owner's title insurance policy insuring the claimant's interest in the property. Documents evidencing a leasehold interest in the property shall include a copy of the lease for the property, together with an affidavit of the claimant stating that the lease is in full force and effect;

3. A description of any damage to personal property located thereon, including without limitation:
i. The date or dates on which the damage occurred;

ii. The location of the personal property at the time the damaged occurred;

iii. A description of the personal property which was damaged;

iv. A description of the damage;

v. The original cost paid by the claimant for the damaged personal property;

vi. The date the claimant acquired the damaged personal property;

vii. Evidence of the claimant's ownership of the damaged personal property;

viii. An estimate of the cost of repairing the damage to the personal property, and an estimate of the value of the damaged personal property as of the time of the damage;

ix. The name, address and qualifications of any persons who prepared the estimates required by (b)2viii above; and

x. The location at which the Department's designee can inspect the damaged personal property;

4. A detailed description of the facts known to the claimant which support the claim, such as the facts which lead the claimant to believe that the improper operation or improper closure of the sanitary landfill facility cause the damages suffered by the claimant;

5. The names and addresses of any witnesses known to the claimant who may have knowledge concerning the improper operation or improper closure, threatened damage, or damage caused by the sanitary landfill facility;

6. The names of any public agencies (including without limitation any local or state police or any other local, county, state, interstate or Federal agencies) who have investigated the improper operation or improper closure activities and, if known to the claimant, the names of the persons who conducted the investigations on behalf of such agencies;

7. If any of the damaged real or personal property or any of the asserted lost income may be covered by any insurance policy or policies, or other financial agreement or instrument under which compensation is reasonably likely to be available, claimant shall exercise best efforts to obtain compensation from such sources for the damages sustained in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:1I-2.3(b), and shall provide as proof of such action the following information:
i. The name and address of the insurance carrier which issued the policy, or issuer of the other financial agreement or instrument;

ii. The policy number or other applicable reference number;

iii. A copy of the certificate of insurance or other financial agreement or instrument; and

iv. Copies of any correspondence between the insurance carrier or issuer of the other financial agreement or instrument and the claimant or claimant's representatives concerning the damages claimed;

8. The names and addresses of any persons other than the Fund (including without limitation insurance companies) against whom the claimant has asserted a claim;

9. Whether the claimant has received or agreed to receive any compensation from any person in connection with the damages claimed, and the details of any such compensation or agreement to receive compensation;

10. A description of any action taken to repair, restore or replace damaged real or personal property, including without limitation the following:
i. The name and address of the person who has taken such action; and

ii. The cost of such action;

11. If the claimant asserts any personal injury damages including medical expenses incurred and income lost as a result thereof, the claim shall include the following information:
i. The total amount of the claimed loss of income;

ii. The period of time during which the claimant asserts that the loss of income has occurred;

iii. If the claimant asserts that the loss of income has occurred over a period exceeding 12 months, a breakdown of the loss of income by three-month periods, with the first such period commencing on the date of discovery;

iv. A detailed description of the method employed by the claimant in calculating the claimed loss of income;

v. A statement of whether all income, sales and other accounting and financial information supporting the claim is available for inspection, copying and audit by the Department;

vi. If any of the information described in (b)11v above is not available for inspection, copying and audit, an explanation of why such information is unavailable for such purposes;

vii. With respect to any of the information described in (b)11v above, which is available for inspection, copying and audit, a description of where and when the Department can obtain access to such information;

viii. If any of the information described in (b)11i through vii above has been audited, certified or reviewed by a certified public accountant, the name, address, and telephone number of such accountant, and the date of such audit, certification or review. If such information has been audited, the claimant shall attach copies of all audited statements and the auditor's reports;

ix. A specific statement as to the nature of the health injuries and how the health injuries are related to the improper operation or improper closure of the sanitary landfill facility in question; and

x. Detailed records substantiating the personal injuries; effects or damages suffered by the claimant including any medical records, prognosis statements, and documentation indicating the monetary value of medical attention;

12. If the claimant is a limited partnership, the names and addresses of all general partners;

13. If the claimant is a general partnership, the names and addresses of all partners;

14. If the claimant is a corporation, the names and addresses of all directors and of all officers;

15. Any other information which the claimant believes to be relevant to the claim; and

16. Any other information which the Department deems necessary to process the claim.

(c) Any documents supporting the claimant's assertion of costs incurred in ameliorating the damage resulting from the improper operation or improper closure of a sanitary landfill facility shall be presented as follows:

1. The claimant shall submit a compilation of all such costs, stating the aggregate amount of the costs incurred; and

2. The claimant shall submit a breakdown of the aggregate costs incurred, stating which portion of the aggregate cost is attributable to ameliorating damage resulting from the improper operation or improper closure of the sanitary landfill facility, and which portion is not.

(d) The claimant shall submit all bills, invoices, receipts and other documentation in an orderly fashion, accompanied by an index and/or a summary if the Department determines that an index or summary would assist in the organized and expeditious processing of the claim.

(e) The Department may administratively close the claim pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:1I-2.7 for failure to provide information under this section.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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