58:10-23.11d10. Report of unauthorized discharge, system malfunction

a. The owner or operator of a major facility or transmission pipeline shall immediately report any unauthorized discharge occurring at the major facility or transmission pipeline. Within 30 days of the reporting of a discharge, the owner or operator of a major facility or transmission pipeline shall provide the department with a full report on the nature and causes of the discharge, the nature and chronology of the actions taken by the owner or operator and other parties to clean up and remove the discharged hazardous substance, an evaluation of all pertinent prevention and response plans and policies in light of the discharge, and the owner's or operator's response thereto, and the measures taken to avoid a recurrence of similar discharges and to remedy shortcomings in the prevention, detection, response, containment, cleanup, or removal plan components. The report shall be accompanied by any amendments that may be required to the DPCC and contingency plans. Upon evaluation of the report, the department may direct the owner or operator of the major facility or transmission pipeline to make appropriate amendments to its DPCC or contingency plan in order to prevent a recurrence of similar discharges, to improve the response capability at the major facility or transmission pipeline, or to minimize the possible adverse impacts of any future discharges on public safety and the environment. The owner or operator of the major facility or transmission pipeline shall provide the department with any other information that may be required by the department to evaluate the prevention and response capabilities at the major facility or transmission pipeline.

b. The owner or operator of a major facility or transmission pipeline shall immediately notify the department's environmental action line of any malfunction of a leak detection or other discharge monitoring system, or other discharge prevention, safety system, or device. The owner or operator of the major facility or transmission pipeline shall provide information as to the nature of the malfunction and the measures taken to avoid a recurrence. The department may, at any time, require the installation or replacement of a leak detection, discharge monitoring system, or other discharge prevention, safety system, or device because of severe or repeated malfunctions or other failures, or that fails to satisfy the standards prescribed therefor pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1990, c.78 (C.58:10-23.11d11).

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the department to direct the owner or operator of a facility or pipeline at any time to take immediate measures to strengthen its prevention or response capabilities.

L.1990,c.78,s.10.