New Jersey P.L.1977, c.74

CHAPTER 74, LAWS OF 1977

AN ACT concerning water pollution control; providing certain powers to the Department of Environmental Protection; creating a pollutant discharge elimination system; granting rule-making authority; providing penalties; and repealing parts of the Statutory Law.

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

C.58:10A-1 Short title.


 * 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Water Pollution Control Act."

C.58:10A-2 Legislature's findings and declaration of policy.


 * 2. The Legislature finds and declares that pollution of the ground and surface waters of this State continues to endanger public health; to threaten fish and aquatic life, scenic and ecological values; and to limit the domestic, municipal, recreational, industrial, agricultural and other uses of water, even though a significant pollution abatement effort has been made in recent years. It is the policy of this State to restore, enhance and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of its waters, to protect public health, to safeguard fish and aquatic life and scenic and ecological values, and to enhance the domestic, municipal, recreational, industrial and other uses of water.
 * The Legislature further finds and declares that the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (P. L. 92-500; 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) establishes a permit system to regulate discharges of pollutants and provides that permits for this purpose will be issued by the Federal Government or by states with adequate authority and programs to implement the regulatory provisions of that act. It is in the interest of the people of this State to minimize direct regulation by the Federal Government of wastewater dischargers by enacting legislation which will continue and extend the powers and responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Protection for administering the State's water pollution control program, so that the State may be enabled to implement the permit system required by the Federal Act.

C. 58:10A-3 Definitions.


 * 3. As used in this act, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:
 * a. "Administrator" means the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency or his authorized representative;
 * b. "Areawide plan" means any plan prepared pursuant to section 208 of the Federal Act;
 * c. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Environmental Protection or his authorized representative;
 * d. "Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection;
 * e. "Discharge" means the releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping of a pollutant into the waters of the State or onto land or into wells from which it might flow or drain into said waters, and shall include the release of any pollutant into a municipal treatment works;
 * f. "Effluent limitation" means any restriction on quantities, quality, rates and concentration of chemical, physical, thermal, biological, and other constituents of pollutants;
 * g. "Federal Act" means the "Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972" (Public Law 92-500; 33 U. S. C. 1251 et seq.) ;
 * h. "Municipal treatment works" means the treatment works of any municipal, county, or State agency or any agency or subdivision created by one or more municipal, county or State governments and the treatment works of any public utility as defined in R.S. 48:2-13;
 * i. "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System" or "NPDES" means the national system for the issuance of permits under the Federal Act;
 * j. "New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System" or "NJPDES" means the New Jersey system for the issuance of permits under this act;
 * k. "Permit" means an NJPDES permit issued pursuant to section 6 of this act;
 * l. "Person" means any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, owner or operator of a treatment works, political subdivision of this State and any state or interstate agency. "Person" shall also mean any responsible corporate official for the purpose of enforcement action under section 10 of this act;
 * m. "Point source" means any discernable, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged;
 * n. "Pollutant" means any dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, refuse, oil, grease, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive substance, thermal waste, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal or agricultural waste or other residue discharged into the waters of the State;
 * o. "Pretreatment standards" means any restriction on quantities, quality, rates, or concentrations of pollutants discharged into municipal or privately owned treatment works adopted pursuant to P. L. 1972, c. 42 (C. 58:11-49 et seq.) ;
 * p. "Schedule of compliance" means a schedule of remedial measures including an enforceable sequence of actions or operations leading to compliance with water quality standards, an effluent limitation or other limitation, prohibition or standard;
 * q. "Substantial modification of a permit" means any significant change in any effluent limitation, schedule of compliance, compliance monitoring requirement, or any other provision in any permit which permits, allows, or requires more or less stringent or more or less timely compliance by the permittee;
 * r. "Toxic pollutant" means those pollutants, or combinations of pollutants, including disease causing agents, which after discharge and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation or assimilation into any organism, either directly or indirectly by ingestion through food chains, will, on the basis of information available to the commissioner, cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutations, physiological malfunctions, including malfunctions in reproduction, or physical deformation, in such organisms or their offspring;
 * s. "Treatment works" means any device or systems, whether public or private, used in the storage, treatment, recycling, or reclamation of municipal or industrial waste of a liquid nature including intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, cooling towers and ponds, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions, improvements, remodeling, additions, and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any other works including sites for the treatment process or for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment. Additionally, "treatment works" means any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating, or disposing of pollutants, including storm water runoff, or industrial waste in combined or separate storm water and sanitary sewer systems;
 * t. "Waters of the State" means the ocean and its estuaries, all springs, streams and bodies of surface or ground water, whether natural or artificial, within the boundaries of this State or subject to its jurisdiction.

C.58:10A-4 Rules and regulations.


 * 4. The commissioner shall have power to prepare, adopt, amend, repeal and enforce, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P. L. 1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), reasonable codes, rules and regulations to prevent, control or abate water pollution and to carry out the intent of this act, either throughout the State or in certain areas of the State affected by a particular water pollution problem. Such codes, rules and regulations may include, but shall not be limited to, provisions concerning:
 * a. The storage of any liquid or solid pollutant in a manner designed to keep it from entering the waters of the State;
 * b. The prior submission and approval of plans and specifications for the construction or modification of any treatment work or part thereof;
 * c. The classification of the surface and ground waters of the State and the determination of water quality standards for each such classification;
 * d. The limitation of effluents, including toxic effluents as indicated herein;
 * e. The determination of pretreatment standards;
 * f. The establishment of user charges and cost recovery requirements in conformance with the Federal Act.

C.58:10A-5 Powers of department.


 * 5. The department is empowered to:
 * a. Exercise general supervision of the administration and enforcement of this act and all rules, regulations and orders promulgated hereunder;
 * b. Assess compliance of a discharger with applicable requirements of State and Federal law pertaining to the control of pollutant discharges and the protection of the environment and, also, to issue certification with respect thereto as required by section 401 of the Federal Act;
 * c. Advise, consult, and cooperate with other agencies of the State, the Federal Government, other states and interstate agencies, including the State Soil Conservation Committee, and with affected groups, political subdivisions and industries in furtherance of the purposes of this act;
 * d. Administer State and Federal grants to municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions, or any recipient approved by the commissioner according to terms and conditions approved by him in order to meet the goals and objectives of this act.

C.58:10A-6 Permit; issuance; exemption for certain categories of discharge; permit not issued for certain discharges; requirements.


 * 6. a. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant, except in conformity with a valid New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit that has been issued by the commissioner pursuant to this act or a valid National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the administrator pursuant to the Federal Act, as the case may be.
 * b. It shall be unlawful for any person to build, install, modify or operate any facility for the collection, treatment or discharge of any pollutant, except after approval by the department pursuant to regulations adopted by the commissioner.
 * c. The commissioner is hereby authorized to grant, deny, modify, suspend, revoke, and reissue NJPDES permits in accordance with this act, and with regulations to be adopted by him. The commissioner may reissue, with or without modifications, an NPDES permit duly issued by the Federal Government as the NJPDES permit required by this act.
 * d. The commissioner may, by regulation, exempt the following categories of discharge, in whole or in part, from the requirement of obtaining a permit under this act; provided, however, that an exemption afforded under this section shall not limit the civil or criminal liability of any discharger nor exempt any discharger from approval or permit requirements under any other provision of law:
 * (1) Additions of sewage, industrial wastes or other materials into a publicly owned sewage treatment works which is regulated by pretreatment standards;
 * (2) Discharges of any pollutant from a marine vessel or other discharges incidental to the normal operation of marine vessels;
 * (3) Discharges from septic tanks, or other individual waste disposal systems, sanitary landfills, and other means of land disposal of wastes;
 * (4) Discharges of dredged or fill materials;
 * (5) Nonpoint source discharges;
 * (6) Uncontrolled nonpoint source discharges composed entirely of storm water runoff when these discharges are uncontaminated by any industrial or commercial activity unless these particular storm water runoff discharges have been identified by the administrator or the department as a significant contributor of pollution;
 * (7) Discharges conforming to a national contingency plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances, published pursuant to section 311(c) (2) of the Federal Act.
 * e. The commissioner shall not issue any permit for:
 * (1) The discharge of any radiological, chemical or biological warfare agent or high-level radioactive waste into the waters of this State;
 * (2) Any discharge which the United States Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, finds would substantially impair anchorage or navigation;
 * (3) Any discharge to which the administrator has objected in writing pursuant to the Federal Act;
 * (4) Any discharge which conflicts with an areawide plan adopted pursuant to law.
 * f. A permit under this act shall require the permittee:
 * (1) To achieve effluent limitations based upon guidelines or standards established pursuant to the Federal Act or this act, together with such further discharge restrictions and safeguards against unauthorized discharge as may be necessary to meet water quality standards, areawide plans adopted pursuant to law, or other legally applicable requirements;
 * (2) Where appropriate, to meet schedules for compliance with the terms of the permit and interim deadlines for progress or reports of progress towards compliance;
 * (3) To insure that all discharges are consistent at all times with the terms and conditions of the permit and that no pollutant will be discharged more frequently than authorized or at a level in excess of that which is authorized by the permit;
 * (4) To submit application for a new permit in the event of any contemplated facility expansion or process modification that would result in new or increased discharges or, if these would not violate effluent limitations or other restrictions specified in the permit, to notify the commissioner of such new or increased discharges;
 * (5) To install, use and maintain such monitoring equipment and methods, to sample in accordance with such methods, to maintain and retain such records of information from monitoring activities, and to submit to the commissioner such reports of monitoring results as he may require;
 * (6) At all times, to maintain in good working order and operate as effectively as possible, any facilities or systems of control installed to achieve compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
 * g. The commissioner shall have a right of entry to all premises in which a discharge source is or might be located or in which monitoring equipment or records required by a permit are kept, for purposes of inspection, sampling, copying or photographing.
 * h. In addition, any permit issued for a discharge from a municipal treatment works shall require the permittee:
 * (1) To notify the commissioner in advance of the quality and quantity of all new introductions of pollutants into a facility and of any substantial change in the pollutants introduced into a facility by an existing user of the facility, except for such introductions of nonindustrial pollutants as the commissioner may exempt from this notification requirement when ample capacity remains in the facility to accommodate new inflows. Such notifications shall estimate the effects of such changes on the effluents to be discharged into the facility.
 * (2) To establish an effective regulatory program, alone or in conjunction with the operators of sewage collection systems, that will assure compliance and monitor progress toward compliance by industrial users of the facilities with user charge and cost recovery requirements of the Federal Act or State law and toxicity standards adopted pursuant to this act and pretreatment standards;
 * (3) As actual flows to the facility approach design flow or design loading limits, to submit to the commissioner for his approval, a program which the permittee and the persons responsible for building and maintaining the contributory collection system shall pursue in order to prevent overload of the facilities.
 * i. All owners of municipal treatment works are hereby authorized to prescribe terms and conditions, consistent with applicable State and Federal law, upon which pollutants may be introduced into such works, and to exercise the same right of entry, inspection, sampling and copying with respect to users of such works as are vested in the commissioner by this act or by any other provision of State law.
 * j. In reviewing permits submitted in compliance with this act and in determining conditions under which such permits may be approved, the commissioner shall encourage the development of comprehensive regional sewerage facilities which serve the needs of the regional community and which conform to the adopted areawide water quality management plan for that region.

C.58:10A-7 Term of permit; modification, suspension or revocation; causes; notice; publication; hearing.
 * 7. a. All permits issued under this act shall be for fixed terms not to exceed 5 years. Any permittee who wishes to continue discharging after the expiration date of his permit must file for a new permit at least 180 days prior to that date.
 * b. The commissioner may modify, suspend, or revoke a permit in whole or in part during its term for cause, including but not limited to the following:
 * (1) Violation of any term or condition of the permit;
 * (2) Obtaining a permit by misrepresentation or failure to disclose fully all relevant facts;
 * (3) If a toxic effluent limitation or prohibition, including any schedule of compliance specified in such effluent limitation or prohibition, is established under section 307 (a) of the Federal Act for a toxic pollutant which is more stringent than any limitations upon such pollutant in an existing permit, the commissioner shall revise or modify the permit in accordance with the toxic effluent limitation or prohibition and so notify the permittee.
 * c. Notice of every proposed suspension, revocation or renewal, or substantial modification of a permit and opportunity for public hearing thereupon, shall be afforded in the same manner as with respect to original permit applications as provided for in this act. In any event notice of all modifications to a discharge permit shall be published in the New Jersey Register.
 * d. Every final determination of the commissioner to grant, deny, modify, suspend, or revoke a permit shall constitute an administrative adjudication under the "Administrative Procedure Act" P. L. 1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), which provides the permittee the opportunity to contest the final determination in a hearing.

C.58:10A-8 Effluent limitations.


 * 8. Whenever the commissioner finds that discharges from a point source or a group of point sources with the application of the effluent limitations authorized in this act, which effluent limitations are as stringent as the best available technology economically achievable as provided for in the Federal Act or State law, would interfere with the attainment and maintenance of applicable water quality standards, the commissioner may establish more stringent effluent, limitations for each such point source or group of point sources, which  effluent limitations can  reasonably  be expected to contribute to the attainment and maintenance of the applicable water quality standards. Prior to the establishment of any more stringent effluent limitations under this section, the commissioner shall publish a notice of his intent to establish such limitations and, upon request of a person affected by any such limitations, the commissioner shall hold a public hearing to determine if there is a reasonable relationship between the economic and social costs of achieving such limitations, including any economic or social dislocation in the affected community or communities, and the social and environmental benefits to be obtained, including the objective of restoring and maintaining the water quality of the State, and to determine whether such effluent limitations can be implemented with available technology or with other control strategies. If a person affected by any such limitations demonstrates at the hearing that there is no reasonable relationship between the economic and social costs of compliance and the benefits to be obtained, the commissioner shall modify any such limitations as they may apply to that person.

C.58:10A-9 Application for permit.


 * 9. Applications for permits shall be submitted within such times, on such forms, and with such signatures as may be prescribed by the commissioner and shall contain such information as he may require. The commissioner shall, in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by regulation, establish and charge reasonable annual administrative fees, which fees shall be based upon, and shall not exceed, the estimated cost of processing, monitoring and administering the NJPDES permits. Said fees shall be deposited to the credit of the State and be deemed as part of the General State Fund. The Legislature shall annually appropriate an amount equivalent to the amount anticipated to be collected as fees charged under this section in support of NJPDES program.
 * b. The commissioner shall give public notice of every complete application for a permit in a manner designed to inform interested and potentially interested persons, affected states and appropriate governmental agencies of his proposed determination to issue or deny a permit. The notice shall announce a period of at least 30 days during which the interested persons may request additional facts, submit written views, and request a public hearing on the proposed discharge or determination. All written comments so submitted shall be retained and considered by the commissioner in formulating his final determination with respect to the permit application. The commissioner may give combined notice of two or more permit applications and proposed determinations provided that the requirements of this section are observed for each application.
 * c. All permit applications, documented information concerning actual and proposed discharges, comments received from the public, and draft and issued permits shall be made available to the public for inspection and for duplication. At his discretion, the commissioner may also make available any other records, reports, plans or information pertaining to permit applicants or permittees, but he shall protect from disclosure any information, other than effluent data, upon a showing by any person that such information, if made public, would divulge methods or processes entitled to protection as trade secrets of such person. The commissioner may prescribe reasonable fees to reimburse the department for duplication expenses under this section.
 * d. The commissioner shall hold a public hearing on a permit application before a final determination, if a significant showing of interest on the part of the public appears in favor of holding such a hearing. At his discretion, the commissioner may also hold such a hearing on his own motion or if requested to so do by any other interested person. Public notices of every public hearing under this subsection, including a concise statement of the issues to be considered therein, shall be given at least 30 days in advance, and shall be circulated at least as widely as was the notice of the permit application. The commissioner may hold a single hearing on two or more applications. To the extent feasible, he shall afford all persons or representatives of all points of view an opportunity to appear, but may so allocate hearing time as to exclude repetitious, redundant, or irrelevant matter. All testimony and documentary material submitted at the hearing shall be considered by the commissioner in formulating his final determination.
 * e. The commissioner may appoint and employ such persons as he deems necessary to enforce and administer the provisions of this act, and determine their qualifications, term of office, duties and compensation, all without regard to the provisions of Title 11, Civil Service, of the Revised Statutes.

C.58:10A-10 Violation of act; penalty.


 * 10. a. Whenever, on the basis of any information available to him, the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, or any rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation, or permit issued pursuant to this act he shall:
 * (1) Issue an order requiring any such person to comply in accordance with subsection b. of this section; or
 * (2) Bring a civil action in accordance with subsection c. of this section; or
 * (3) Levy a civil administrative penalty in accordance with subsection d. of this section; or
 * (4) Bring an action for a civil penalty in accordance with subsection e. of this section; or
 * (5) Petition the Attorney General to bring a criminal action in accordance with subsection f. of this section. Use of any of the remedies specified under this section shall not preclude use of any other remedy specified.
 * b. Whenever, on the basis of any information available to him, the commissioner finds that any person is in violation of any provision of this act, or of any rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation or permit issued pursuant to this act, he may issue an order (1) specifying the provision or provisions of this act, or the rule, regulation, water quality standard, effluent limitation, or permit of which he is in violation, (2) citing the action which caused such violation, (3) requiring compliance with such provision or provisions, and (4) giving notice to the person of his right to a hearing on the matters contained in the order.
 * c. The commissioner is authorized to commence a civil action in Superior Court for appropriate relief from any violation of this act or of a permit issued hereunder. Such relief may include, singly or in combination:
 * (1) A temporary or permanent injunction;
 * (2) Assessment of the violator for -the costs of any investigation, inspection, or monitoring survey which led to the establishment of the violation, and for the reasonable costs of preparing and litigating the case under this subsection;
 * (3) Assessment of the violator for any cost incurred by the State in removing, correcting or terminating the adverse effects upon water quality resulting from any unauthorized discharge of pollutants for which the action under this subsection may have been brought;
 * (4) Assessment against the violator of compensatory damages for any loss or destruction of wildlife, fish or aquatic life, and for any other actual damages caused by an unauthorized discharge. Assessments under this subsection shall be paid to the State Treasurer, except that compensatory damages shall be paid by specific order of the court to any persons who have been aggrieved by the unauthorized discharge;
 * d. The commissioner is authorized to assess a civil penalty of not more than $5,000.00 for each violation and additional penalties of not more than $500.00 for each day during which such violation continues after receipt of an order from the department. Any amount assessed under this subsection shall fall within a range established by regulation by the commissioner for violations of similar type, seriousness, and duration. No assessment shall be levied pursuant to this section until after the discharger has been notified by certified mail or personal service. The notice shall include a reference to the section of the statute, regulation, order or permit condition violated; a concise statement of the facts alleged to constitute a violation; a statement of the amount of the civil penalties to be imposed; and a statement of the party's right to a hearing. The ordered party shall have 20 days from receipt of the notice within which to deliver to the commissioner a written request for a hearing. After the hearing and upon finding that a violation has occurred, the commissioner may issue a final order after assessing the amount of the fine specified in the notice. If no hearing is requested, then the notice shall become a final order after the expiration of the 20-day period. Payment of the assessment is due when a final order is issued or the notice becomes a final order. The authority to levy an administrative order is in addition to all other enforcement provisions in this act, and the payment of any assessment shall not be deemed to affect the availability of any other enforcement provisions in connection with the violation for which the assessment is levied. Any civil penalty assessed under this section may be compromised by the commissioner upon the posting of a performance bond by the violator, or upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner may establish by regulation.
 * e. Any person who violates this act or an administrative order issued pursuant to subsection b. or a court order issued pursuant to subsection c., or who fails to pay an administrative assessment in full pursuant to subsection d. shall be subject upon order of a court to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.00 per day of such violation, and each day's continuance of the violation shall constitute a separate violation. Any penalty incurred under this subsection may be recovered with costs in a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law" (N. J. S. 2A:58-1 et seq.). The Superior Court, County Court and county district court shall have jurisdiction to enforce said Penalty Enforcement Law in conjunction with this act.
 * f. Any person who willfully or negligently violates this act shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine of not less than $2,500.00 nor more than $25,000.00 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or by both. Punishment for a second offense under this subsection shall be a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $50,000.00 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both. Any person who knowingly makes a false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this act or who falsifies, tampers with or knowingly renders inaccurate, any monitoring device or method required to be maintained pursuant to this act, shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or by both.

C.58:10A-11 Conflict of interest.


 * 11. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of State law, no person to whom the commissioner has delegated responsibility to approve permits or portions thereof may accept this responsibility if such person receives, or has received during the previous two years, a significant portion of his income directly or indirectly from permit holders or applicants for a permit.

C.58:10A-12 Construction of act; severability.


 * 12. This act shall be construed liberally. If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.

C.58:10A-13 Continuation of actions, proceedings, orders, rules and regulations.


 * 13. This act shall not affect, impair or invalidate any action or proceeding, civil or criminal, brought by or against the department, pending on the effective date of this act: all such actions or proceedings may and shall be continued to final judgment, decree or decision, as if the foregoing provisions had not taken effect; nor shall this act affect orders, rules and regulations heretofore made, promulgated or issued by the department or other matters or proceedings pending before the department on the effective date of this act. Such orders, rules, regulations, matters or proceedings shall continue in full force and effect until amended or repealed pursuant to law.

Repealer.


 * 14. The following sections, acts and parts of acts are hereby repealed:
 * N.J.S.2A:134-2 to N.J.S.2A:134-4 both inclusive,
 * N.J.S.2A:170-22 to N.J.S.2A:170-24 both inclusive,
 * R.S.23:5-27,
 * R.S.23:8-5,
 * R.S.23:9-18,
 * R.S.23:9-36,
 * R.S.23:9-52,
 * R.S.58:10-5 to R.S.58:10-23 both inclusive,
 * R.S.58:10-36 to R.S.58:10-45 both inclusive,
 * R.S.58:12-1 to R.S.58:12-6 both inclusive,
 * P.L.1970, c.91, s.2 (C.58:12-4.1).

C.58:10A-14 Legislative oversight committees; powers.


 * 15. The Senate Committee on Energy and Environment and the Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Environment are hereby designated as the Legislative Oversight Committees for the Water Pollution Control Act. The Department of Environmental Protection is directed to submit any proposed rules or regulations to the Legislative Oversight Committees, prior to the holding of public hearings on such proposed rules or regulations and to promptly submit to either committee any information concerning the administration of said act which either Legislative Oversight Committee may request. The Legislative Oversight Committees shall review, evaluate and recommend alterations to any such proposed rules or regulations and shall recommend whatever administrative alterations it may choose in order to effectuate the Legislative intent of this act.


 * 16. There is hereby appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of $888,000.00 for the administration of this act.


 * 17. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after enactment.

Approved April 25, 1977.