58:10A-10. Violation of act; penalty

a. Whenever the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, he shall:

(1) Issue an order requiring any such person to comply in accordance with subsection b. of this section; or

(2) Bring a civil action in accordance with subsection c. of this section; or

(3) Levy a civil administrative penalty in accordance with subsection d. of this section; or

(4) Bring an action for a civil penalty in accordance with subsection e. of this section; or

(5) Petition the Attorney General to bring a criminal action in accordance with subsection f. of this section.

Use of any of the remedies specified under this section shall not preclude use of any other remedy specified.

In the case of one or more pollutants for which interim enforcement limits have been established pursuant to an administrative order, including an administrative consent order, by the department or a local agency, the permittee shall be liable for the enforcement limits stipulated therein.

b. Whenever the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, he may issue an order (1) specifying the provision or provisions of this act, or the rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation, or permit of which he is in violation, (2) citing the action which caused such violation, (3) requiring compliance with such provision or provisions, and (4) giving notice to the person of his right to a hearing on the matters contained in the order.

c. The commissioner is authorized to commence a civil action in Superior Court for appropriate relief for any violation of this act or of a permit issued hereunder. Such relief may include, singly or in combination:

(1) A temporary or permanent injunction;

(2) Assessment of the violator for the reasonable costs of any investigation, inspection, or monitoring survey which led to the establishment of the violation, and for the reasonable costs of preparing and litigating the case under this subsection;

(3) Assessment of the violator for any reasonable cost incurred by the State in removing, correcting or terminating the adverse effects upon water quality resulting from any unauthorized discharge of pollutants for which the action under this subsection may have been brought;

(4) Assessment against the violator of compensatory damages for any loss or destruction of wildlife, fish or aquatic life, or other natural resources, and for any other actual damages caused by an unauthorized discharge;

(5) Assessment against a violator of the actual amount of any economic benefits accruing to the violator from a violation. Economic benefits may include the amount of any savings realized from avoided capital or noncapital costs resulting from the violation; the return earned or that may be earned on the amount of avoided costs; any benefits accruing to the violator as a result of a competitive market advantage enjoyed by reason of the violation; or any other benefits resulting from the violation.

Assessments under paragraph (4) of this subsection shall be paid to the State Treasurer, except that compensatory damages shall be paid by specific order of the court to any persons who have been aggrieved by the unauthorized discharge. Assessments pursuant to actions brought by the commissioner under paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) of this subsection shall be paid to the "Clean Water Enforcement Fund," established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1990, c.28 (C.58:10A-14.4).

d. (1) (a) The commissioner is authorized to assess, in accordance with a uniform policy adopted therefor, a civil administrative penalty of not more than $50,000.00 for each violation and each day during which such violation continues shall constitute an additional, separate, and distinct offense. Any amount assessed under this subsection shall fall within a range established by regulation by the commissioner for violations of similar type, seriousness, and duration. The commissioner shall adopt, by regulation, a uniform assessment of civil penalties policy by January 1, 1992.

(b) In adopting rules for a uniform penalty policy for determining the amount of a penalty to be assessed, the commissioner shall take into account the type, seriousness, including extent, toxicity, and frequency of a violation based upon the harm to public health or the environment resulting from the violation, the economic benefits from the violation gained by the violator, the degree of cooperation or recalcitrance of the violator in remedying the violation, any measures taken by the violator to avoid a repetition of the violation, any unusual or extraordinary costs directly or indirectly imposed on the public by the violation other than costs recoverable pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection c. of this section, and any other pertinent factors that the commissioner determines measure the seriousness or frequency of the violation, or conduct of the violator.

(c) In addition to the assessment of a civil administrative penalty, the commissioner may, by administrative order and upon an appropriate finding, assess a violator for costs authorized pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection c. of this section.

(2) No assessment shall be levied pursuant to this subsection until after the discharger has been notified 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 a violation; a statement of the amount of the civil penalties to be imposed; and a statement of the party's right to a hearing. The ordered party shall have 20 days from receipt of the notice within which to deliver to the commissioner a written request for a hearing. After the hearing and upon finding that a violation has occurred, the commissioner may issue a final order after assessing the amount of the fine specified in the notice. If no hearing is requested, then the notice shall become a final order after the expiration of the 20-day period. Payment of the assessment is due when a final order is issued or the notice becomes a final order.

(3) If a civil administrative penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection is not paid within 30 days of the date that the penalty is due and owing, and the penalty is not contested by the person against whom the penalty has been assessed, or the person fails to make a payment pursuant to a payment schedule entered into with the department, an interest charge shall accrue on the amount of the penalty due and owing from the 30th day after the date on which the penalty 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.

(4) The authority to levy a civil administrative penalty is in addition to all other enforcement provisions in this act, and the payment of any assessment shall not be deemed to affect the availability of any other enforcement provisions in connection with the violation for which the assessment is levied. Any civil administrative penalty assessed under this section may be compromised by the commissioner upon the posting of a performance bond by the violator, or upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner may establish by regulation, except that the amount compromised shall not be more than 50% of the assessed penalty, and in no instance shall the amount of that compromised penalty be less than the statutory minimum amount, if applicable, prescribed in section 6 of P.L.1990, c.28 (C.58:10A-10.1). In the case of a violator who is a local agency that enters into an administrative consent order, the terms of which require the local agency to take prescribed measures to comply with its permit, the commissioner shall have full discretion to compromise the amount of penalties assessed or due for violations occurring during a period up to 24 months preceding the entering into the administrative consent order; except that the amount of the compromised penalty may not be less than the statutory minimum amount, if applicable, prescribed in section 6 of P.L.1990, c.28 (C.58:10A-10.1). A civil administrative penalty assessed against a local agency for a violation of an administrative consent order may not be compromised by more than 50% of the assessed penalty. In no instance shall the amount of a compromised penalty assessed against a local agency be less than the statutory minimum amount, if applicable, prescribed in section 6 of P.L.1990, c.28 (C.58:10A-10.1). The commissioner shall not compromise the amount of any component of a civil administrative penalty which represents the economic benefit gained by the violator from the violation.

(5) A person, other than a local agency, appealing a penalty assessed against that person in accordance with this subsection, whether contested as a contested case pursuant to P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) or by appeal to a court of competent jurisdiction, shall, as a condition of filing the appeal, post with the commissioner a refundable bond, or other security approved by the commissioner, in the amount of the civil administrative penalty assessed. If the department's assessed penalty is upheld in full or in part, the department shall be entitled to a daily interest charge on the amount of the judgment from the date of the posting of the security with the commissioner and until paid in full. 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. In addition, if the amount of the penalty assessed by the department is upheld in full in an appeal of the assessment at an administrative hearing or at a court of competent jurisdiction, the person appealing the penalty shall reimburse the department for all reasonable costs incurred by the department in preparing and litigating the imposition of the assessment, except that no litigation costs shall be imposed where the appeal ultimately results in a reduction or elimination of the assessed penalty.

(6) A civil administrative penalty imposed pursuant to a final order:

(a) may be collected or enforced by summary proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with "the penalty enforcement law," N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.; or

(b) shall constitute a debt of the violator or discharger and the civil administrative penalty may be docketed with the clerk of the Superior Court, and shall have the same standing as any judgment docketed pursuant to N.J.S.2A:16-1; except that no lien shall attach to the real property of a violator pursuant to this subsection if the violator posts a refundable bond or other security with the commissioner pursuant to an appeal of a final order to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court. No lien shall attach to the property of a local agency.

(7) The commissioner shall refer to the Attorney General and the county prosecutor of the county in which the violations occurred the record of violations of any permittee determined to be a significant noncomplier.

e. Any person who violates this act or an administrative order issued pursuant to subsection b. or a court order issued pursuant to subsection c., or who fails to pay a civil administrative penalty in full pursuant to subsection d., or to make a payment pursuant to a payment schedule entered into with the department, shall be subject upon order of a court to a civil penalty not to exceed $50,000.00 per day of such violation, and each day's continuance of the violation shall constitute a separate violation. Any penalty incurred under this subsection may be recovered with costs, and, if applicable, interest charges, in a summary proceeding pursuant to "the penalty enforcement law" (N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.). In addition to any civil penalties, costs or interest charges, the court, in accordance with paragraph (5) of subsection c. of this section, may assess against a violator the amount of any actual economic benefits accruing to the violator from the violation. The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction to enforce "the penalty enforcement law" in conjunction with this act.

f. (1)(a) Any person who purposely, knowingly, or recklessly violates this act, and the violation causes a significant adverse environmental effect, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the second degree, and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, be subject to a fine of not less than $25,000 nor more than $250,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment, or by both.

(b) As used in this paragraph, a significant adverse environmental effect exists when an action or omission of the defendant causes: serious harm or damage to wildlife, freshwater or saltwater fish, any other aquatic or marine life, water fowl, or to their habitats, or to livestock, or agricultural crops; serious harm, or degradation of, any ground or surface waters used for drinking, agricultural, navigational, recreational, or industrial purposes; or any other serious articulable harm or damage to, or degradation of, the lands or waters of the State, including ocean waters subject to its jurisdiction pursuant to P.L.1988, c.61 (C.58:10A-47 et seq.).

(2) Any person who purposely, knowingly, or recklessly violates this act, including making a false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this act, or by falsifying, tampering with, or rendering inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained pursuant to this act, or by failing to submit a monitoring report, or any portion thereof, required pursuant to this act, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the third degree, and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, be subject to a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $75,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment, or by both.

(3) Any person who negligently violates this act, including making a false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this act, or by falsifying, tampering with, or rendering inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained pursuant to this act, or by failing to submit a discharge monitoring report, or any portion thereof, required pursuant to this act, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree, and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, be subject to a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment, or by both.

(4) Any person who purposely or knowingly violates an effluent limitation or other condition of a permit, or who discharges without a permit, and who knows at that time that he thereby places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, as defined in subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:11-1, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the first degree, and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, be subject of a fine of not less than $50,000 nor more than $250,000, or, in the case of a corporation, a fine of not less than $200,000 nor more than $1,000,000, or by imprisonment or by both.

(5) As used in this subsection, "purposely," "knowingly," "recklessly," and "negligently" shall have the same meaning as defined in N.J.S.2C:2-2.

g. All conveyances used or intended for use in the purposeful or knowing discharge, in violation of the provisions of P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.), of any pollutant or toxic pollutant are subject to forfeiture to the State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1981, c.387 (C.13:1K-1 et seq.).

h. The amendatory portions of this section, as set forth in P.L.1990, c.28 (C.58:10A-10.1 et al.), except for subsection f. of this section, shall not apply to violations occurring prior to July 1, 1991.

L.1977,c.74,s.10; amended 1984,c.240,s.3; 1986,c.170,s.3; 1990,c.28,s.5.