N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14B-12.2 - Adjudicatory hearings

(a) A person may request a hearing to contest:

1. A denial or revocation of an UST registration certificate, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14B-2.6 ;

2. A denial of a permit, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14B-10.8 ;

3. A denial of an ordinance adoption issued pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14B-11; or

4. A denial or revocation of a certification of an individual or business firm, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14B-13 or 16.

(b) Within 20 calendar days after receiving the document for which a hearing is sought, the person requesting a hearing shall send a completed Adjudicatory Hearing Request Checklist and a written request for a hearing to:

1. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Office of Administrative Hearings and Dispute Resolution

ATTENTION: Adjudicatory Hearing Requests

401 E. State Street

Mail Code 401-07A

PO Box 420

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420; and

2. The Underground Storage Tank program's address set forth on the Adjudicatory Hearing Request Checklist.

(c) The person requesting a hearing shall include with the completed Adjudicatory Hearing Request Checklist the following information:

1. The name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of:

i. The person the Department named in the document for which the hearing is sought;

ii. A contact person or authorized representative, if the person the Department named in the document is other than an individual; and

iii. The person's attorney, if any;

2. The date the person received the document for which a hearing is sought;

3. A copy of the document for which a hearing is sought, pursuant to (a) above;

4. An admission, a denial, or an averment of insufficient knowledge or information of the findings listed in the document being contested, as follows:

i. If the person is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of a specific finding, the person shall so state and this shall have the effect of a denial;

ii. If a person intends to deny any finding or portion of the finding in the document:

(1) The person shall identify the finding or portion of the finding that is denied. A general denial of some or all of the findings shall have the effect of an admission of each finding generally denied;

(2) For each finding or portion of a finding the person denies, the person shall explain the factual and legal basis of the denial. Any failure to provide a factual and legal basis for a denial shall have the effect of an admission of the finding; and

(3) The person shall ensure that each denial fairly meets the substance of the finding or portion of the finding denied. A denial that does not meet the substance of the finding denied shall have the effect of an admission of the finding;

iii. If a person fails to either admit or deny any specific finding or portion of a finding, this shall have the effect of an admission of that finding.

5. A list of all factual and legal issues that the person is contesting, with each defense position stated in short and plain terms;

6. If the person's response to the Department allegation of noncompliance is that the person has complied with some or all of the applicable requirements, a description of all such compliance, including specific citation to each applicable requirement with which the person alleges it has complied, the facts and circumstances of the compliance, including a copy of any submission that is required by that applicable requirement, or otherwise provide evidence of compliance and the date of compliance;

7. Documents or information supporting the request for a hearing, and specific reference to or copies of other written documents relied on to support the request;

8. An estimate of the time required for the hearing (in days and/or hours); and

9. A request, if necessary, for a barrier-free hearing location for physically disabled persons.

(d) If the Department does not receive the request for a hearing within the time prescribed at (b) above, or if the request does not include the information required in (c) above, the Department shall deny the request for a hearing.

(e) An adjudicatory hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, N.J.S.A. 52:14B-12 et seq., and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Rules, N.J.A.C. 1:1.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to provide a right to an adjudicatory hearing in contravention of N.J.S.A. 52:14B-3.1 through 3.3.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14B-12.2

Adopted by 50 N.J.R. 409(a), effective 1/16/2018 Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 528(a), effective 2/23/2023