58:12A-9 General powers and duties of commissioner.

9. The commissioner is authorized, in order to carry out the provisions and purposes of this act, to:

a. Perform any and all acts necessary to carry out the purposes and requirements of this act relating to the adoption and enforcement of any regulations authorized pursuant to this act;

b. Administer and enforce the provisions of this act and all rules, regulations, and orders promulgated, issued, or effective hereunder;

c. Enter into agreements, contracts, or cooperative arrangements, under such terms and conditions as he deems appropriate, with the Department of Health and Senior Services and any other state agency, federal agencies, municipalities, counties, educational institutions, municipal or county health departments, or other organizations or individuals;

d. Receive financial and technical assistance from the federal government and other public or private agencies;

e. Participate in related programs of the federal government, other states, interstate agencies, or other public or private agencies or organizations;

f. Establish adequate fiscal controls and accounting procedures to assure proper disbursement of and accounting for funds appropriated or otherwise provided for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act;

g. Delegate those responsibilities and duties as deemed appropriate for the purpose of administering the requirements of this act;

h. Establish and collect fees, in accordance with a fee schedule adopted as a rule or regulation, for conducting inspections and laboratory analyses and certifications as may be necessary;

i. Prescribe such regulations and issue such orders as are necessary or appropriate to carry out his functions under this act;

j. Conduct research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, and control of contaminants in drinking water;

k. Provide for the education of the public as to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, and control of contaminants in drinking water;

l. Collect and make available, through publications, a data management system and other appropriate means, the results of and other information, including appropriate recommendations by the institute in connection therewith, pertaining to such research and other activities;

m. Cooperate with and contract with other public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations and with any industries involved, in the preparation and conduct of such research and other activities;

n. Review treatment methods used for removal of contaminants from drinking water;

o. Provide for the education and training of departmental personnel in those areas relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention and control of contaminants in drinking water;

p. Establish and collect reasonable fees, in accordance with a fee schedule adopted as a rule or regulation, for the estimated costs of administering and enforcing the programs pursuant to this amendatory and supplementary act, to the extent that the costs are not available from the fund, including but not limited to conducting inspections, laboratory analyses and certifications as may be necessary;

q. The authority to collect fees pursuant to this section may be delegated by the commissioner to the appropriate county agency consistent with a delegation, pursuant to the provisions of the "County Environmental Health Act," P.L.1977, c.443 (C.26:3A2-21 et seq.), of any authority to administer the provisions of this act;

r. Administer State and federal grants and other forms of financial assistance to municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions, or any recipient approved by the commissioner according to the terms and conditions approved by him in order to meet the goals and objectives of this act. The commissioner shall establish, charge and collect reasonable loan origination and annual administrative fees, which shall be based upon, and shall not exceed the estimated cost of processing, monitoring and administering the financial assistance programs. Said fees shall be deposited in a separate fund, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, and the funds used for the sole purpose of administering the financial assistance programs authorized and established by State law, including, but not limited to, the costs of administering the "Drinking Water - State Revolving Fund Accounts".

L.1977,c.224,s.9; amended 1983, c.443, s.16; 2002, c.34, s.45.