Section 48:13A-7.9 - Rules, regulations; schedule of rate bands in transitionThe provisions of any other law, or of any rule, regulation or administrative order adopted or issued pursuant thereto, to the contrary notwithstanding, during the 48-month transition from economic regulation to the termination of Board of Public Utilities rate regulation of the solid waste collection industry, the rates or charges that may be imposed by solid waste collectors for solid waste collection services in this State shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of P.L. 1991, c.381 (C.48:13A-7.1 et al.).
a. The Board of Public Utilities shall establish, in rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," solid waste collection rate bands governing the rates or charges that may be imposed by solid waste collectors for solid waste collection services in this State during each transition year. The solid waste collection rate bands shall provide for the maximum adjustment that any solid waste collector may make to the rates or charges set forth as solid waste collection service charges in the uniform tariff filed with and accepted by the board after the effective date of this amendatory and supplementary act for any residential, commercial, industrial or institutional customer during a specified transition year.
b. The solid waste collection rate bands shall conform to the following schedule:(1) During the first transition year, the rates or charges set forth as solid waste collection service charges in the uniform tariff may be adjusted by an amount within a rate band the upper and lower limits of which shall not exceed the sum of 5% plus the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, multiplied by the rates or charges;(2) During the second transition year, the rates or charges set forth as solid waste collection service charges in the uniform tariff may be adjusted by an amount within a rate band the upper and lower limits of which shall not exceed the sum of 5% plus the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, plus the sum authorized pursuant to paragraph (1), multiplied by the rates or charges;(3) During the third transition year, the rates or charges set forth as solid waste collection service charges in the uniform tariff may be adjusted by an amount within a rate band the upper and lower limits of which shall not exceed the sum of 10% plus the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, plus the sum authorized pursuant to paragraph (2), multiplied by the rates or charges; and(4) During the fourth transition year, the rates or charges set forth as solid waste collection service charges in the uniform tariff may be adjusted by an amount within a rate band the upper and lower limits of which shall not exceed the sum of the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index plus the sum authorized pursuant to paragraph (3), multiplied by the rates or charges. Any adjustments to the uniform tariff authorized pursuant to this subsection may be made on an individual customer basis.
For the purposes of this subsection, "Consumer Price Index" means the consumer price index for all urban consumers in the New York City and the Philadelphia areas as reported by the United States Department of Labor.
c. Prior to the close of each transition year, the board shall, by order in writing, revise the solid waste collection rate bands for the forthcoming transition year to conform to the schedule established pursuant to subsection b. of this section for the pricing of solid waste collection services.