ELR Citation: ELR 20951
No(s). A-126 (N.J. Apr 18, 1988)

The court holds that, subject to a good cause exception, the provisions of a directive requiring a landfill operator to fund a remedial investigation/feasibility study or face treble damages for noncompliance are valid under the New Jersey Spill Compensation and Control Act. The court applies the interpretation of the act's treble damages provision adopted in In re Kimber Petroleum Corp., 18 ELR 20933, in which the court ruled that a party with an objectively reasonable basis for believing that a Department of Environmental Protection directive is either invalid or inapplicable may challenge the directive by asserting a good cause defense.

One judge dissents for the same reasons announced in his dissent in In re Kimber Petroleum Corp.

Counsel for Appellants
James E. Stahl
Borrus, Goldin, Foley, Vignuolo, Hyman & Stahl
2875 U.S. Highway 1, Route 1 & Finnigan's Lane, P.O. Box 1963, North Brunswick NJ 08902

Counsel for Respondents
Ross A. Lewin, Deputy Attorney General
Dep't of Law & Public Safety
8th Fl., Justice Complex, CN080, Trenton NJ 08625
(609) 292-8740

For affirmance as modified -- Justices CLIFFORD, HANDLER, O'HERN, GARIBALDI, and STEIN -- 5.

Dissenting -- Chief Justice WILENTZ -- 1.