N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26-2.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 7:26-2.4 - Application procedures for a solid waste facility permit

(a) Prior to preparing and submitting the application for a solid waste facility (SWF) permit, other than for facilities specified in (c) below, the applicant may schedule a pre-application conference with the Department to discuss the registration, environmental and health impact statement and engineering submission requirements and the review procedures. At least two weeks prior to the scheduled pre-application conference, the applicant should submit information in the form of reports, maps, studies and other relevant project documentation providing a sufficient basis for review by the Department. The material submitted prior to the pre-application conference may include the following:

1. A site location map plotted on a USGS topographic map;

2. A written description of the type of facility;

3. A written estimate of the proposed design capacity of the facility;

4. A written description of the type of waste to be handled;

5. A written plan establishing the tentative construction schedules;

6. A written scope-of-work outlining the proposed EHIS, geotechnical investigation or engineering design;

7. Written documentation that the facility is included in the applicable district solid waste management plan pursuant to 13:1E-23 or that an application has been submitted to the appropriate public authority seeking inclusion in the solid waste management plan.

(b) A complete application for an SWF permit, except for applications for small-scale facilities identified at (c)1 and 2 below, shall include the following:

1. All fees, required by N.J.A.C. 7:26-4, owed and paid in accordance with 13:1D-120 et seq.;

2. Documentation establishing that the facility has been included in the applicable district solid waste management plan;

3. The disclosure statement described in N.J.A.C. 7:26-16. The requirement of a disclosure statement shall not apply to any person specifically exempted under 7:26-16.3(d);

4. A registration statement meeting the requirements of 7:26-2.8;

5. An EHIS prepared in accordance with 7:26-2.9;

6. An engineering design prepared in accordance with 7:26-2.10;

7. For sanitary landfills, a closure plan prepared and submitted in accordance with 7:26-2A.9; and

8. Documents identified at (b)1 through 7 above shall be submitted as follows:

i. All documents other than (b)3 above shall be submitted to:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Sustainable Waste Management

Bureau of Solid Waste Permitting Mail Code 401-02C

PO Box 420

401 East State Street

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420; and

ii. The document identified in (b)3 above shall be submitted to:

New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety

Hughes Justice Complex

New Jersey Division of Law

Environmental Enforcement Section

A-901 Unit

P. O. Box 093

25 Market Street

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0093.

(c) A complete application for a SWF permit for a small-scale solid waste facility identified in (c)1 or 2 below shall include the following:

1. For a small-scale thermal destruction facility:

i. Documentation and information sufficient to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Department, that the facility meets the following criteria:

(1) The waste intended for thermal destruction is nonhazardous;

(2) The waste is generated at the site of the thermal destruction operation, at other associated intracompany plants; or is regulated medical waste, or home self-care waste managed as regulated medical waste, that is received and managed by the operator of the small-scale incinerator in conformance with the requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A;

(3) The small-scale thermal destruction unit is not a major facility as defined at 7:27-8.1;

(4) The facility has been included in the applicable district solid waste management plan; and

(5) The thermal destruction unit will be operated in compliance with 7:26-2.11 and all other applicable Departmental regulations.

ii. A registration statement meeting the requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:26-2.8;

iii. An EHIS sufficient to meet only the requirements set forth at 7:26-2.9(d)1;

iv. An engineering design prepared in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:26-2.10 and 2B.4;

v. The disclosure statement described in N.J.A.C. 7:26-16. The requirement of a disclosure statement shall not apply to any person specifically exempted under 7:26-16.3(d);

vi. This exemption from full application requirements is limited to one small-scale thermal destruction unit for each company site; and

vii. All fees required by N.J.A.C. 7:26-4, owed and paid in accordance with 13:1D-120 et seq.

2. For a small scale materials recovery facility or transfer station:

i. Documentation sufficient to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Department, that the capacity of the facility is less than 100 tons per day;

ii. A registration statement meeting the requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:26-2.8;

iii. An EHIS sufficient to meet only the requirements set forth at 7:26-2.9(d)2;

iv. An engineering design prepared in accordance with 7:26-2.10 and 2B.5;

v. Documentation that the facility has been included in the applicable district solid waste management plan;

vi. The disclosure statement described in N.J.A.C. 7:26-16. The requirement of a disclosure statement shall not apply to any person specifically exempted as set forth at 7:26-16.3(d); and

vii. All fees required by N.J.A.C. 7:26-4, owed and paid in accordance with 13:1D-120 et seq.

(d) Upon receipt of the initial application materials, the Department shall assign an application number to the application. All correspondence on written comments relating to the application shall thereafter refer to the assigned application number.

(e) All applications shall be signed by the applicant as follows:

1. The completed registration statement shall be signed as follows:

i. For a corporation, by a principal executive officer of at least the level of vice president;

ii. For a partnership or sole proprietorship, by a general partner or the proprietor, respectively; or

iii. For a municipality, State, Federal or other public agency, by either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official.

2. All engineering designs and reports and the environmental and health impact statement required by this subchapter and other information requested as "Addendums" by the Department pursuant to (f) and (g)4 below, in addition to the documents required to be submitted pursuant to 7:26-2.9 and 2.10, shall be signed by a person described in (e)1 above or by a duly authorized representative of that person. A person is a duly authorized representative only if:

i. The authorization is made in writing by a person described in (e)1 above;

ii. The authorization specified either an individual or a position having responsibility for the overall operation of the regulated facility or activity, such as the position of plant manager, or positions of equivalent responsibility (a duly authorized representative may be either a named individual or any individual occupying the named position); and

iii. The written authorization is submitted to the Department.

3. Any person signing the registration statement, engineering design and reports, environmental and health impact statement or addendum mentioned in (e)1 and 2 above, shall make the following certification:

"I certify under penalty of law that I have personally examined and am familiar with the information submitted in this document and all attachments and that, based on my inquiry of those individuals immediately responsible for obtaining the information, I believe that the information is true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment. I understand that, in addition to criminal penalties, I may be liable for a civil administrative penalty pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:26-5 and that submitting false information may be grounds for denial, revocation or termination of any solid waste facility permit or vehicle registration for which I may be seeking approval or now hold."

(f) The Department may require an applicant to provide additional data, reports, specifications, plans or other information where such information is necessary, as determined by the Department, to make the application technically complete prior to the tentative decision or to make a final permit determination after the public hearing. The Department shall not make a tentative or final determination on any application until such time as the applicant has supplied the requested information. Any failure to submit such information shall constitute cause for denial of the permit.

(g) The procedures for Department review and tentative approval or denial of an SWF permit application shall be in accordance with the following:

1. The Department shall not begin the processing of an application until the applicant has fully complied with the submission requirements of this subchapter and the signature and certification requirements of (e) above unless the applicant is unable to comply with the submission requirements through the actions or inactions of another Federal, State, county or local agency.

2. Upon receipt of a SWF permit application, the Department shall review the application to determine whether the application is complete. After reviewing the SWF permit application, the Department shall, within 30 days of receipt of the application, notify the applicant, in writing, whether the application is complete or incomplete.

i. For the purposes of this section, "complete application" means that all information required by N.J.A.C. 7:26- 2.4(b) has been submitted by the applicant.

3. If the application is deemed incomplete, the Department shall provide the applicant with a written list of the deficiencies and additional information required to make the application complete. A determination of incompleteness shall stop any review and shall stay the time limitations set forth in (g)11 below.

4. Within 30 days of receiving a notice of deficiency, the requested additional information shall be submitted to the Department as an "Addendum to the Application for a Solid Waste Facility Permit" ("Addendum"). The Department, in its discretion, may extend the timeframe for submitting additional information. Failure to correct the deficiency(ies) shall constitute cause for denial of the permit without prejudice.

5. Upon receiving the Addendum, the Department shall review the Addendum and other information supplied by the applicant for a determination of completeness in accordance with the procedure set forth in (g)2 above.

6. Upon determining that the application or Addendum is complete, the Department shall send notice that an application or Addendum has been filed identifying the applicant, describing the type of facility, location of the facility and locations where and when application materials are available for review to the following:

i. The mayor, planning board, environmental commission and the health officer of any municipality in which any portion of the facility is proposed to be located;

ii. The mayor, planning board, environmental commission and health officer of any municipality, the borders of which lie within one mile of the perimeter of the proposed facility; and

iii. The implementing agency for the solid waste management plan of any solid waste management district in which any portion of the facility is proposed to be located;

7. Upon determining that an application or Addendum is complete, the Department shall submit a copy of the SWF permit application materials to the following for review:

i. The municipal clerk of any municipality in which any portion of the facility is proposed to be located;

ii. The County Solid Waste Coordinator of any county in which any portion of the facility is proposed to be located; and

iii. Any other governmental agencies that the Department deems appropriate, such as the County Clerk of any county in which any portion of the facility is proposed to be located; District Solid Waste Advisory Committee of the Solid Waste Management District; Federal and State agencies with jurisdiction over fish, shellfish and wildlife resources, surface and groundwater resources, air quality, and coastal zone management; the Pinelands Commission; Office of New Jersey Heritage; Department of Agriculture; Department of Transportation; Department of Community Affairs; and other affected states.

8. Once the Department determines that an application or Addendum is complete, the application or Addendum may be reviewed by any interested person at the Department's offices during normal working hours by making an appointment, at the address specified at (b)8 above, with the records custodian of the Division of Sustainable Waste Management. Copies may be obtained directly from the applicant or from the Department upon payment of the duplication fee prescribed by law.

9. The Department shall determine whether a site visit and inspection are necessary in order to evaluate the proposed site of the facility. If the Department decides that a site visit is necessary for any reason in conjunction with the processing of an application, the applicant shall be notified and a date for the visit shall be scheduled.

10. The Department shall publish notice in the DEP Bulletin of the receipt of each new application, and each significant agency action on an application currently before it. Notice shall be given for significant actions including, but not limited to, the determination of completeness, tentative approval, rejection of an application, public hearings on a tentative approval, final decision on a permit, transfer of a permit and permit renewal. Publication of notice in the DEP Bulletin constitutes constructive notice to all interested persons of the Department actions on SWF permits. The notice shall include, but not be limited to:

i. The applicant's name;

ii. The agency application number;

iii. The type of facility proposed by the applicant;

iv. The location of the proposed facility;

v. The date and description of significant agency action on the application;

vi. The locations where and when application materials are available for review; and

vii. A statement that comments concerning the pending permit action may be submitted to the Department at the address specified in 7:26-2.4(b)8.

11. Not later than six months after the date upon the Department's letter notifying the applicant that the application is complete pursuant to (g)2 above, except in the case set forth in (g)3 above, the Department shall reject the SWF permit application, without prejudice, as technically incomplete, or deny or grant tentative approval of the application.

i. The Department shall perform a technical review of a complete application in accordance with the following timeframes:

(1) The Department shall complete its initial technical review of the application within 120 days from the determination that the application is complete;

(2) If the application is deemed technically incomplete, the Department shall provide the applicant with an opportunity to correct the deficiency or deficiencies pursuant to (g)3, 4 and 5 above;

(3) Upon receiving the Addendum submitted pursuant to (g)11i(2) above, the Department shall complete its technical review of the application within 60 days from the determination that the Addendum is complete;

ii. If the Department decides to deny the applicant a SWF permit, the basis for the denial shall be set forth in a letter to the applicant which shall also provide the applicant with notice of opportunity to request an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to (g)22 below.

iii. Where an applicant can demonstrate compelling reasons, the Department shall extend the deadlines set forth at (g)11 above and suspend its consideration of a complete application.

12. A tentative approval shall establish draft design, construction, operational, and maintenance conditions for the proposed solid waste disposal facility, requirements for the monitoring thereof and any other conditions required under Federal or State laws or rules and regulations as deemed appropriate by the Department.

13. Not later than 45 days after the granting of a tentative approval of an application for a SWF permit, the Department shall conduct a public hearing on the proposed facility and operator in accordance with the procedures set forth in 7:26-2.5. In the case of an application for a solid waste facility described in 7:26-2.4(c), an application to modify permit conditions or to revoke and reissue a permit pursuant to 7:26-2.6, an application for a permit renewal pursuant to 7:26-2.7(b), an application to transfer a permit pursuant to 7:26-2.7(e), the Department shall provide public notice, in accordance with (g)15 below, of the opportunity for a public hearing on the proposed agency action. Upon the written request of any interested party which, in the opinion of the Department, raises significant issues of fact relevant to the proposed agency action within 30 days of the newspaper publication of a notice of opportunity for a hearing, a public hearing on the proposed agency action shall be held in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:26-2.5.

14. Not less than 15 or more than 30 days before a public hearing the Department shall provide notice, as described in (g)15 below, of the tentative approval and scheduled hearing, by the following methods:

i. By mailing a copy of a notice to the following persons (any person entitled to receive notice under this paragraph may waive the right to receive notice for any classes and categories of permits);

(1) The applicant;

(2) The municipality in which the proposed facility will be located;

(3) Any Federal, State, county or municipal agency known to the Department to have issued or have jurisdiction to issue a permit for the same facility or activity;

(4) Any Federal, State, county or municipal agency which commented on the application and requested notice;

(5) Any other persons required by law, statute, regulation or court order to receive such notice; and

(6) Any interested person requesting such notice.

ii. By publication of a notice in two newspapers of general circulation within the area affected by or served by the facility or activity; and

iii. In cases where the Department is providing notice of the opportunity for a public hearing, such notice shall be provided in accordance with (g)14i and ii above. Where the notice of opportunity for a public hearing results in the scheduling of a hearing, a subsequent notice of the hearing date shall be provided in accordance with (g)14i and ii above.

15. All public notices issued pursuant to this section shall include the following information;

i. Name and address of the office processing the tentative approval for which notice is being given;

ii. Name and address of the applicant, and if different, the address of the facility or activity described by the SWF permit application materials;

iii. A brief description of the business to be conducted at the facility, including the activities described in the SWF permit application materials;

iv. Name, address and telephone number of a person from whom interested persons may obtain further information, including copies of the fact sheet required by (g)16 below;

v. A brief description of the comment procedures by which the public may participate in the final permit decision and the time and place of the public hearing, if necessary; and

vi. The location of the administrative record, the times at which the record will be open for public inspection and a statement that all data submitted by the applicant is available as part of the administrative record.

16. A fact sheet concerning the proposed facility shall be prepared by the Department and shall be provided with the hearing notice required in (g)15 above. The fact sheet shall include the following:

i. The principal facts and the significant factual, legal, methodological or policy questions considered in granting the tentative approval;

ii. A description of the proposed facility;

iii. The types and quantities of solid waste which may be disposed of at the proposed facility; and

iv. A brief summary of the impacts and bases for the conditions of the tentative approval.

17. The public comment period shall be determined by the Department in accordance with the following:

i. The public comment period shall be the opportunity for any interested person to submit comments to the Department concerning a proposed facility and operator;

ii. For purposes of this subchapter the public comment period shall begin upon notice by the Department that a tentative approval has been issued or other agency action taken;

iii. The public comment period shall close 15 days after the date of the last public hearing, if any, on any tentative approval, unless the Department decides to extend the comment period in accordance with (g)17v below or reopen the comment period in accordance with (g)18 below. For agency actions on which no public hearing is held, the public comment period shall close 30 days after publication of the notice of the agency action;

iv. All interested persons, including the applicant, who believe any aspect of the tentative approval or other agency action is inappropriate shall raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available arguments and factual grounds supporting their position, including all supporting material, by the close of the public comment period. All supporting materials shall be included in full and may not be incorporated by reference, unless they are already part of the administrative record in the same proceeding, or consist of State or Federal statutes and regulations or other generally available reference materials;

v. A public comment period longer than 15 days following the public hearing may be necessary, in certain cases, to give interested persons an opportunity to comply with the requirements of (g)17iv above. Any interested person who reasonably requires additional time within which to supplement the administrative record should request, in writing, an extension of the public comment period, and the Department shall exercise reasonable discretion in setting the closing date for public comment;

vi. The Department shall publish notice, in accordance with (g)14 above of any decision to extend the period for public comment beyond the 15 days following the public hearing. Any notice of an extension of the public comment period shall clearly set forth the closing date of such extension.

18. Reopening of the public comment period shall be at the Department's discretion based upon the following:

i. If any data, information or arguments submitted during the public comment period appear to raise substantial new questions concerning a tentative approval or other agency action, the Department may take one or more of the following actions:

(1) Issue a permit, appropriately modifying the tentative approval to reflect the Department's response to the questions raised;

(2) Prepare a revised fact sheet and revised tentative approval and reopen the comment period under this section; or

(3) Reopen the comment period to give interested persons an opportunity to comment on the information or arguments submitted.

ii. Comments filed during the reopened comment period shall be limited to the substantial new questions that caused its reopening;

iii. Public notice of any of the above actions shall be published in accordance with (g)14 above. Any notice issued pursuant to this section shall clearly define the scope of the reopening for purposes of limiting the scope of comments submitted during the reopened period pursuant to (g)18ii above.

19. The Department shall base the final permit decision on the administrative record, which shall be complete on the date the SWF permit is issued and which shall include, but not be limited to:

i. The application, including the registration statement, engineering design, EHIS, Addendums, if any, and all other additional materials submitted by the applicant in support of the application;

ii. All written comments received during the public comment period, including any comments submitted during an extension or reopening of the comment period;

iii. The transcript of any public hearing held on the permit application;

iv. The hearing officer's report which shall contain the Department's response to comments made during the comment period;

v. The fact sheet prepared by the Department for any public hearing and other documents contained in the supporting file;

vi. The tentative approval and final permit documents; and

vii. Material readily available to the Department, or published material which is generally available, need not be physically in the same file as the rest of the administrative record as long as it is specifically referred to in the fact sheet, the written comments, the transcript, or in the response to comments.

20. The provisions of this subchapter shall not supersede the public hearing procedures required for facilities obtaining any other permit issued by the Department. The public notice and public comment provisions contained in the applicable regulations or statutes shall govern those permit procedures.

21. The Department shall notify the applicant of the permit application decision by issuance of a SWF permit or by letter of denial on the application. In addition, the SWF permit or letter of denial shall be made available to all parties receiving copies of the application or notice of the application pursuant to (g)6 and 7 above and to any other interested person who has commented, orally or in writing, on the application, tentative approval or other agency action. Notice of the decision shall be published in the DEP Bulletin.

22. Within 20 calendar days of receipt of the Department's decision, the applicant may submit a written request to the Department for an adjudicatory hearing to contest any aspect of the Department's decision.

i. Any request for an adjudicatory hearing must be based on specific relevant issues raised by the applicant during the public comment period;

ii. Any request raising new issues shall be considered by the Department as a request to reopen the public comment period pursuant to (g)18 above;

iii. The Department may base a denial of a request for an adjudicatory hearing on the failure of the applicant to have raised the issue during the public comment period;

iv. The request for an adjudicatory hearing shall state the applicant's factual position on each question alleged to be at issue, its relevance to the permit decision, specific reference to contested permit conditions as well as suggested revised or alternative permit conditions and an estimate of the amount of hearing time necessary to adjudicate each factual issue. Supporting documentation shall be identified in the administrative record and shall be properly referenced; and

v. The request for a hearing shall be sent to:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

401 E. State Street

Mail Code 401-07A

PO Box 420

Trenton, NJ 08625-0420

23. The Department may extend the time allowed for submitting a hearing request under this section for good cause shown.

24. For 30 days following receipt of a request for an adjudicatory hearing, the Department may attempt to settle the dispute by conducting such proceedings, meetings, and conferences as it deems appropriate.

25. If Department efforts at settlement fail, the Department shall file the request for a hearing with the Office of Administrative Law. The hearing shall be held before an administrative law judge and in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, 52:14B-1 et seq., and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Rules, N.J.A.C. 1:1.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:26-2.4

Amended by 47 N.J.R. 991(a), effective 5/18/2015.

Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 528(a), effective 2/23/2023

Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 1922(b), effective 7/31/2023