Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024
(a) Except as
provided in (c) and (d) below, each of the following persons shall comply with
this chapter:
1. Each person who has executed
or is otherwise subject to a judicial or administrative order, a judicial
consent judgment, an administrative consent order, a memorandum of
understanding, a remediation agreement, or any other legally binding document
with the Department for the remediation of a contaminated site;
2. Each owner and operator of a regulated
underground storage tank who is liable for the remediation pursuant to the
Underground Storage of Hazardous Substances Act, 58:10A-21 et seq.;
3. Each owner and operator of an industrial
establishment who is liable for the remediation of that industrial
establishment pursuant to Industrial Site Recovery Act, 13:1K-6 et
seq.;
4. Each person in any way
responsible, pursuant to the Spill Compensation and Control Act,
N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11, for any hazardous substance that
was discharged, including, without limitation:
i. Each owner of the real property where the
discharge occurred at the time of the discharge;
ii. Each subsequent owner of the real
property where the discharge occurred prior to the filing of a final
remediation document with the Department;
iii. A holder of a security interest in a
site, an underground storage tank system, or a heating oil tank system who,
prior to foreclosure, actively participated in the management of a site, an
underground storage tank system, or a heating oil tank system; or
iv. A holder of a security interest in a
site, an underground storage tank system, or a heating oil tank system who,
after foreclosure, negligently caused a new discharge at a site;
5. Each person listed in
(a)1 through 4 above, when:
i. The Department rescinds a no further
action letter or invalidates a response action outcome; or
ii. The licensed site remediation
professional rescinds his or her own response action outcome;
6. A statutory
permittee during that person's ownership, tenancy, or operation;
7. A person who is conducting an evaluation
of a child care center pursuant to the Department of Children and Families
Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers,
N.J.A.C.
10:122-5.2(i); and
8. Any other person who is responsible for
remediating a site pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11g.
(b) If more than one person is responsible
for conducting the remediation of a contaminated site, each such person is
jointly and severally liable for compliance with this chapter.
(c) The requirements of this chapter do not
apply to any person who is:
1. Not listed in
(a) above, and who is conducting due diligence in accordance with N.J.S.A.
58:10B-1.3d(2);
2. Remediating a
landfill, unless:
i. The landfill or any
portion thereof is:
(1) Slated for
redevelopment with a building;
(2)
Does not have a final remediation document, but has already been developed with
a building; or
(3) Does not have a
solid waste approval from the Department, but has already been developed with a
building;
ii. When
landfill remediation activities are funded, in whole or part, by the Hazardous
Discharge Site Remediation Fund pursuant to the Brownfield and Contaminated
Site Remediation Act at 58:10B-4 through 9, a Brownfield Redevelopment
agreement pursuant to the Brownfield and Contaminated Site Remediation Act at
58:10B-27 through 31, or the Municipal Landfill Closure and Remediation
Reimbursement Program pursuant to the Solid Waste Management Act at 13:1E-116.1
through 116.7; or
iii. The person
conducting the remediation wants a final remediation document;
3. Remediating a discharge
pursuant to a New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Underground
Injection Control permit issued pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14A; or
4. Except as provided in N.J.A.C.
7:26F-1.2(d)2 and 3, 1.6(b), and 3.7(b)1, remediating a discharge from a
heating oil tank system in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:26F.
(d) Unless notified in writing by the
Department that additional remediation is necessary, the person responsible for
conducting the remediation of any of the following types of discharges is
exempt from the requirements at
N.J.A.C.
7:26C-2.3 to use the services of a licensed
site remediation professional or to submit documents to the Department:
1. A petroleum surface spill, including
mineral oil containing less than 50 parts per million of polychlorinated
biphenyls from a transformer, of less than 100 gallons, that does not reach the
waters of the State of New Jersey provided that:
i.Any contamination is remediated within 90
days after the occurrence of the spill; and
ii. The person responsible for conducting the
remediation documents, at the time of the spill, his or her specific knowledge
of the date and volume of the spill;
2. A discharge that results from a passenger
motor vehicle accident; or
3. A
discharge that the Department refers to its Bureau of Emergency Response, to
the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, or to a County Environmental
Health Agency.
(e) Any
governmental entity that is not liable under
N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11g.d(4) shall be exempt from paying
the initial annual remediation fee and subsequent annual remediation fees as
required by 7:26C-4.3(a)3 through 5, and, instead, shall pay annual remediation
fees pursuant to 7:26C-4.3(a)7.