New Jersey § 13:1e-6

§ 13:1e-6.

a. The department shall, in addition to such other powers as it may possess by law: (1) Undertake a program of research and development for the purpose of determining

the most efficient, sanitary and economical way of collecting, disposing and utilizing

solid waste. (2) Formulate and promulgate, amend and repeal codes, rules and regulations concerning

solid waste collection and solid waste disposal activities. Such codes, rules and regulations shall establish the procedures relating to the

preparation and submission of environmental impact statements prior to the construction,

acquisition, or operation of any solid waste facility, and shall establish standards

for the construction and operation of solid waste facilities, which standards shall

include, but not be limited to, provisions requiring: the maintenance of ground water

quality monitoring wells to check water pollution; periodic monitoring of water quality

by chemical analysis; measures to monitor methane gas production at sanitary landfills;

plans for erosion control; revegetation procedures and plans for the maintenance,

upkeep, and reuse of any sanitary landfill site; adequate cover material; safety

measures; rodent, insect, bird, dust, fire and odor control programs; and such other

measures as shall be deemed necessary to protect the public health and safety and

the natural environment. All codes, rules and regulations heretofore adopted by the Public Health Council relating

to refuse disposal shall continue in full force and effect and be enforceable by the

department, subject to its power as herein provided to amend or repeal the same. (3) Develop, formulate, promulgate and review for the purpose of revising or updating

not less than once every 2 years, a Statewide solid waste management plan which shall

encourage the maximum practicable use of resource recovery procedures and which shall

provide the objectives, criteria and standards for the evaluation of solid waste management

plans prepared pursuant to the provisions of this amendatory and supplementary act

for solid waste management districts in this State; and to the extent practicable,

encourage and assist in the development and formulation of such solid waste management

plans and guidelines to implement such plans. Such objectives, criteria and standards shall be promulgated within 180 days of

the effective date of this act; provided, however, that general guidelines sufficient

to initiate the solid waste management planning process by solid waste management

districts in this State shall be promulgated within 30 days of the effective date

of this act. In the development and formulation of the Statewide solid waste management plan

the department shall consult with relevant agencies and instrumentalities of the Federal

Government, and the aforesaid objectives, criteria and standards provided by said

Statewide solid waste management plan shall conform, to the extent practicable, or

as may be required, to the provisions of any Federal law concerning such objectives,

criteria and standards. (4) Make an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature evaluating the operation

of this amendatory and supplementary act, including any recommendations deemed necessary

by the department to better effectuate the purposes hereof. b. The department may, in addition: (1) Order any district, pursuant to the Statewide solid waste management plan, the

objectives, criteria and standards contained therein, the environmental and economic

studies conducted by the department therefor and in a manner designed to enhance the

environment within the concerned districts, (a) to plan for the construction of resource

recovery facilities, (b) to specify what processes should be utilized therein, (c)

to develop a joint program with one or more adjacent districts for providing resource

recovery facilities, and (d) for those districts affected by the guarantee provided

in P.L.1968, c. 404, s. 9.1 ( C. 13:17-10 ), to cooperate on a continuing basis with the department and with the other districts

so affected in the development of a combined approach to solid waste management in

northeastern New Jersey and make the final determination in the event of any overlap

or conflict between the Hackensack Commission and any board of chosen freeholders

pursuant to their respective responsibilities under this amendatory and supplementary

act or pursuant to the Hackensack Commission's responsibilities under P.L.1968, c.

404 ( C. 13:17-1 et seq. ). (2) Acquire, by purchase, grant, contract or condemnation, title to real property,

for the purpose of demonstrating new methods and techniques for the collection, disposal

and utilization of solid waste; (3) Purchase, operate and maintain, pursuant to the provisions of this act, any facility,

site, laboratory equipment or machinery necessary to the performance of its duties

pursuant to this act; (4) Apply for, receive and expend funds from any public or private source; (5) Contract with any other public agency, including county and municipal boards of

health, or corporation incorporated under the laws of this or any other state for

the performance of any function under this act. Any such contract with a county or municipal board of health may provide for the

inspection and monitoring of solid waste facilities; the enforcement of the department's

standards therefor; and the training of county or municipal health officers engaged

in such inspection, monitoring or enforcement; (6) Make grants to assist in experimenting with new methods of solid waste collection,

disposal, or utilization, pursuant to the provisions of sections 21 through 25 of

this amendatory and supplementary act; 1 (7) Construct and operate, on an experimental basis, incinerators or other facilities

for the disposal or utilization of solid waste, to provide the various municipalities

and counties of this State, the Board of Public Utility Commissioners, the Hackensack

Commission, and the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community

Affairs with statistical data on costs and methods of solid waste collection and disposal; (8) Make annual and such other reports as it may deem proper to the Governor and the

Legislature evaluating the demonstrations and experiments conducted during each calendar

year. 1

N.J.S.A. §§ 13:1E-30 to 13:1E-34.