13:1E-5.3. Sanitary landfill facility on property of state college; prohibition of approval; termination of contractual right or regulatory approval; reimbursement

a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection shall not approve a registration statement and engineering design which authorizes a sanitary landfill facility located on the property of any State college whose charter was filed prior to 1920 to receive municipal waste, as defined by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to rule or regulation. For the purposes of this act, "sanitary landfill facility" means a solid waste facility at which solid waste is deposited on or in the land as fill for the purpose of permanent disposal or storage for a period exceeding six months, but shall not include a facility engaged in composting vegetative waste.

b. Any existing contract right or regulatory approval to operate a sanitary landfill facility on the property of a State college not otherwise terminated in accordance with law shall, upon the effective date of this act, be void and the State Treasurer, after review of all records and documents in the possession of the current holder of the approved registration statement and engineering design which the treasurer deems necessary for making his determination, and upon the advice and consent of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Public Utilities shall, within 60 days of the effective date of this act, determine an amount which would fairly and properly reimburse the current holder of the certificate of approved registration statement and engineering design for all verifiable and reasonable expenses directly related to the maintenance of the certificate of approved registration statement and engineering design and its rescission, plus interest on the amount of these expenses. The interest shall be calculated from the date upon which payment of these expenses was made. The rate of interest shall be at the rates provided by the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey for the applicable period of time.

c. The amount determined fair and properly payable by the treasurer shall be paid to the current holder of the certificate of approved registration statement and engineering design upon an appropriation in that amount and for that purpose being made by the Legislature to the State college on whose property the sanitary landfill is located. However, by this action the State college and the State shall in no way incur liability for third party obligations which are or shall become the responsibility of the current holder of the certificate of approved registration statement and engineering design.

d. If the current holder of the certificate of approved registration statement and engineering design does not agree that the amount determined by the treasurer constitutes full reimbursement for all these expenses and files with the treasurer a letter containing the reasons therefor within 10 days of the treasurer's determination, the treasurer, within five days of the receipt of that letter, shall submit all records and documents relevant to the matter to the Office of Administrative Law which, within 30 days of receiving these records and documents, shall commence a hearing to be conducted as a contested case pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), and P.L.1978, c. 67 (C. 52:14F-1 et seq.).

e. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10 of P.L.1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-10) to the contrary, within 15 days of the receipt of the recommendations of the administrative law judge, the treasurer shall adopt, reject, or modify the recommendations. The final decision of the treasurer is considered the final agency action thereon for the purposes of the "Administrative Procedure Act" and is subject only to judicial review as provided in the Rules of Court.

L.1984, c. 221, s. 1, eff. Dec. 20, 1984.