Bill > S232

Introduced Session

This bill would impose methane emissions control and monitoring requirements on the owners or operators of certain sanitary landfill facilities. The requirements would go into effect 24 months after the bill's enactment into law. Specifically, the bill would require any owner or operator of an authorized to accept solid waste for final disposal sanitary landfill facility or a sanitary landfill facility that closes after effective date of the bill, to: (1) obtain from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) a permit pursuant to the "Air Pollution Control Act (1954)," P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.); (2) install and operate a landfill gas collection and control system; (3) conduct quarterly surface monitoring of the facility's surface for methane levels; (4) ensure that methane emissions from the facility do not exceed certain limits described in subsection a. of section 1 of the bill; (5) submit to the DEP each year an estimate of the amount of methane generated by the facility each year; and (6) keep records and make reports to the DEP as necessary to comply with the bill's provisions. A landfill gas collection and control system collects landfill gas (which is composed primarily of methane and carbon dioxide) through pipes or wells buried in the landfill, processes the gas to remove impurities, and either converts the gas into usable fuel or combusts the gas using a flare. The bill contains certain minimum standards for landfill gas collection and control systems that are installed or modified after the bill's effective date, as enumerated in subsection b. of section 1 of the bill. Any violation of the bill's provisions would be a considered a violation of the "Solid Waste Management Act," P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.). A person who violates the "Solid Waste Management Act" could be liable for civil penalties and civil administrative penalties up to $50,000 per day of the offense.

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Bob Smith (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document