N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26H-5.19

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

Section 7:26H-5.19 - Matrix penalty determination

(a) The Department shall assess penalties under this section, and not under N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.18, when:

1. Because of the specific circumstances of the violation, the Department determines that the penalty amount under N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.18 would be too low to provide a sufficient deterrent effect as required by the Act; or

2. The violation is not listed under N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.18.

(b) Each violation of the Acts, or any rule promulgated, any administrative order, permit, license or other operating authority issued thereunder shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct violation.

(c) Each day during which a violation continues shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct violation.

(d) Where any requirement of the Acts, or any rule promulgated, any administrative order, permit, license or other operating authority issued thereunder may pertain to more than one act, condition, occurrence, item, unit, waste or parameter, the failure to comply with such requirement as it pertains to each such act, condition, occurrence, item, unit, waste or parameter shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct violation.

(e) The Department shall assess a civil administrative penalty for violations described in this section on the basis of the seriousness of the violation and the conduct of the violator at the midpoint of the following ranges as follows:

1. A violation that meets the criteria at (e)1i through iii below and the criteria at N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.23(c)1 through 5 is minor. Such a minor violation shall be subject to a grace period of 30 days if it meets the criteria of subsections i through iii below and N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.23. If compliance is not achieved in the required time period, the violator shall be subject to a $ 2,000 penalty, to be assessed in accordance with the procedures set forth at N.J.A.C. 7:26H-5.23.

i. The violation poses minimal risk to the public health, safety and natural resources;

ii. The violation does not materially and substantially undermine or impair the goals of the regulatory program; and

iii. The activity or condition constituting the violation is capable of being corrected and compliance achieved within the time prescribed by the Department.

2. A violation that does not meet the criteria set forth in (e)1 above is non-minor and the penalty shall be assessed at the mid-point of the following ranges, unless adjusted pursuant to (h) below and in accordance with the applicable severity frequency multipliers identified in (i) below.

SERIOUSNESS
Major	Moderate	Minor
Major	$ 9,000-	$ 7,000-	$ 5,000-
$ 10,000	$ 8,000	$ 6,000
($ 9,500 midpoint)	($ 7,500 midpoint)	($ 5,500 midpoint)
CONDUCT	Moderate	$ 7,000-	$ 4,000-	$ 2,000-
$ 8,000	$ 5,000	$ 3,000
($ 7,500 midpoint)	($ 4,500 midpoint)	($ 2,500 midpoint)
Minor	$ 5,000-	$ 2,000-	N/A*
$ 6,000	$ 3,000
($ 5,500 midpoint)	($ 2,500 midpoint)
*N/A means not applicable.

(f) The seriousness of the violation shall be determined as major, moderate or minor as follows:

1. Major seriousness shall apply to any violation which:

i. Has caused or has the potential to cause a serious risk to the health, safety and welfare of the people of this State and the economic viability and competitiveness of the solid waste collection industry; or

ii. Seriously deviates from the requirements of the Acts, or any rule promulgated, any administrative order, permit, license or other operating authority issued thereunder. Serious deviation shall include, but not be limited to, those violations which are in complete contravention of the requirement, or if some of the requirement is met, which severely impair or undermine the operation or intent of the requirement;

2. Moderate seriousness shall apply to any violation which:

i. Has caused or has the potential to cause a substantial risk to the health, safety and welfare of the people of this State and the economic viability and competitiveness of the solid waste collection industry;

ii. Substantially deviates from the requirements of the Acts, or any rule promulgated, any administrative order, permit, license or other operating authority issued thereunder. Substantial deviation shall include, but not be limited to, violations which are in substantial contravention of the requirements or which substantially impair or undermine the operation or intent of the requirement; and

3. Minor seriousness shall apply to any violation not included in (f)1 or 2 above.

(g) The conduct of the violator shall be determined as major, moderate or minor as follows:

1. Major conduct shall include any intentional, deliberate, purposeful, knowing or willful act or omission by the violator;

2. Moderate conduct shall include any unintentional but foreseeable act or omission by the violator; and

3. Minor conduct shall include any other conduct not included in (g)1 or 2 above.

(h) The Department may adjust the amount determined pursuant to (e), (f) and (g) above to assess a penalty in an amount no greater than the maximum amount nor less than the minimum amount in the range described in (e) above, on the basis of the following factors:

1. The compliance history of the violator;

2. The nature, timing and effectiveness of any measures taken by the violator to mitigate the effects of the violation for which the penalty is being assessed;

i. Immediate implementation of measures to effectively mitigate the effects of the violation will result in a reduction to the bottom of the range;

3. The nature, timing and effectiveness of any measures taken by the violator to prevent future similar violations;

i. Implementation of measures that can reasonably be expected to prevent a recurrence of the same type of violation will result in a reduction equal to the bottom of the range;

4. Any unusual or extraordinary costs or impacts directly or indirectly imposed on the public or the environment as a result of the violation; and/or

5. Other specific circumstances of the violator or the violation.

(i) To obtain the penalty, multiply the matrix penalty as determined by (e), (f), (g) and (h) above, by the applicable severity factor offense multiplier as follows:

Severity Factor	Multiplier
1. First Offense	Initial Matrix Penalty (no multipliers)
2. Second Offense	Initial Matrix Penalty x (2.5)
3. Third and subsequent Offenses	Initial Matrix Penalty x (5.0)

Example:

Matrix penalty (for violation of N.J.A.C. 7:26H-4.5(a) ) = $ 4,500 (First

Offense)

For a second offense, the penalty is $ 4,500 x (2.5) = $ 11,250

For the third and subsequent offenses, the penalty is $ 4,500 x (5.0) =

$ 22,500

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26H-5.19

New Rule, R.2002 d.356, effective 11/4/2002.
See: 34 N.J.R. 1792(a), 34 N.J.R. 3819(a).
Amended by R.2006 d.343, effective 9/18/2006.
See: 37 N.J.R. 3130(a), 38 N.J.R. 3782(b).
Rewrote (e).
Amended by R.2008 d.117, effective 5/5/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 4477(a), 40 N.J.R. 2243(a).
Substituted "Acts" for "Act" throughout; in (b) and (d), inserted "thereunder"; in (f)1ii, substituted "thereunder. Serious" for "; serious", and in (f)2ii, substituted "thereunder. Substantial" for "; substantial".