58:30-3 Definitions relative to water and wastewater treatment and conveyance systems.

3. As used in this act,

"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities.

"Capable private or public entity" means any private or public water system owner who, at the time of submitting a proposal to long-term lease or purchase public water or wastewater assets, currently (1) owns a system serving no less than the number of residential and commercial accounts as the system which the entity is proposing to lease or purchase, and (2) is not a significant noncomplier, as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1977, c.7 (C.58:10A-3), is not currently the subject of a formal enforcement action initiated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to address a material violation by the entity which has not been corrected over a reasonable period of time given the specific situation, or is not substantially out of compliance with an administrative consent order, settlement agreement, stipulation of settlement or judicial consent order entered into with the department.

"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.

"Director" means the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.

"Governing body" means a "governing body" as defined in section 3 of the "New Jersey Wastewater Treatment Public-Private Contracting Act," P.L.1995, c.216 (C.58:27-19 through C.58:27-27).

"Licensed engineer" means a professional engineer licensed pursuant to P.L.1938, c.342 (C.45:8-27 et seq.).

"Long-term lease" means a lease of longer than 30 years under which the municipal owner seeks to transfer ownership of the system at the end of the lease term.

"Owner" means any municipality, except a municipality that is a city of the first class with a population of 270,000 or more according to the latest federal decennial census, that owns water or wastewater assets. Municipalities constituting a joint meeting, and the joint meeting itself shall not be considered an owner for the purposes of this definition.

"Registered apprenticeship program" means an apprenticeship program registered with and approved by the United States Department of Labor and which provides to each trainee combined classroom and on-the-job training under the direct and close supervision of a highly skilled worker in an occupation recognized as an apprenticeable trade, and which meets the program performance standards of enrollment and graduation under 29 C.F.R. s.29.6.

"System" means the plants, structures, and other real and personal property of an owner that is, or is to be, acquired, constructed, or operated for the purpose of processing water or wastewater, including sewage, for distribution or treatment.

"Water or wastewater assets" means any system along with any other related buildings, equipment, or other infrastructure.

L.2015, c.18, s.3.