Solid Waste Law

Published on: January 9, 2017

Forfeiture of Public Employment for Conviction of a Crime, and the Supreme Court’s Decisions on Waivers of Forfeiture of Public Employment

supreme-court-building-1209701__340-300x200 Our employment attorneys represent New Jersey Civil Service employees in appeals of disciplinary action. Recently, New Jersey’s Supreme Court had the opportunity to clarify some of the circumstances in which a government employee can obtain a waiver of the rule that he forfeit his job when convicted of a criminal offense.

In the case of Flagg v. Essex County Prosecutor, the New Jersey Supreme Court had the opportunity to review the effect of a public employee’s conviction for a disorderly persons offense (the equivalent of a misdemeanor) on their government job. New Jersey’s forfeiture law requires that employees forfeit their public employment if the conviction is for a crime (the equivalent of felony) of dishonesty, is required by the New Jersey Constitution, or is a disorderly persons offense “involving or touching such office, position or employment.” However, a subsection of this law provides an exception. This provides that “forfeiture or disqualification… which is based upon a conviction of a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense [misdemeanors] may be waived by the court upon application of the county prosecutor or the Attorney General and for good cause shown.” The law is silent about what standard a prosecutor should use to review such applications.

Flagg was a maintenance worker for the City of Newark. He was convicted in municipal court of illegal disposition of solid waste, a disorderly persons offense. He did this in the course of his job at the direction and in the presence of his supervisor. He was sentenced to a six month loss of his drivers license, a $5,000 fine, and five days of community service. He was not sentenced to jail, nor did the statute provide for jail for this solid waste violation.

Published on: December 8, 2016

Solid Waste Registration

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

hauler Businesses wishing to transport solid waste in New Jersey are required to strictly comply with the registration process governed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Our attorneys help solid waste haulers in complying with these requirements, and obtaining approval to haul solid waste in New Jersey.

This is a brief overview of the solid waste registration and application process with the NJDEP.

Is it “Solid Waste?”

Published on: December 6, 2016

Issues Faced by New Jersey Solid Waste Haulers

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

eighteen-wheeler-614201__340 The transportation and disposal of solid waste in New Jersey is a heavily regulated industry. The statutory and regulatory framework of New Jersey sold waste law is complex. Attorneys from our firm have significant experience counseling and representing solid waste companies in all aspects of their businesses.

This regulatory complexity starts at the beginning of a solid waste hauler’s lifecycle. A business or person who wants to get into the business of hauling solid waste must make an A-901 application to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protections, undergo a rigorous background investigation, and obtain a certificate of public convenience & necessity (CPCN). The operation of the business is also governed by a complex regulatory scheme, including the registration of vehicles, the types of waste which can be handled, and what can be done with it.

And, of course, a solid waste hauler is a business just like any other business. It will have the multitude of issues any business has. It will have disputes with its customers. It will have labor and employment problems. Competitors will try to take its business. The owners will have disputes between themselves. It will need to collect delinquent bills.

Published on: July 12, 2016

Solid Waste Transportation Compliance & Consulting

by Pauline M.K. Young

dump-truck-1396587__180
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) regulates, monitors, and enforces a wide range of environmental protection and conservation laws throughout the State of New Jersey. The NJDEP is a cohesive government organization which is involved in various programs and areas of environmental protection including recycling, clean water, air quality and pollution, open spaces, wildlife protection, business regulations, waste transportation and disposal, and other environmental areas.

Waste transportation and disposal is one of the major areas which the NJDEP monitors with the important goals of: eliminating illegal dumping (and thus land and water pollution), eradicating criminal activity from the waste removal industry due to a historic connection between the industry and illegal conduct, and educating waste handlers of relevant rules and environmental impacts.

To achieve these goals, the New Jersey State Legislature and the NJDEP have enacted numerous laws, rules, regulations, and reporting requirements for waste transporters. To start, most waste transporters are required to obtain a New Jersey A-901 license. The process for obtaining an A-901 license is not a quick or easy one. Before ever engaging in any waste transportation, the business must provide a great deal of information to the NJDEP, including the source of funding for the business, business locations, lease and lessor information, identification of owners and key employees, etc. On top of that each key employee, owner, partner, officer, director, and managing member must complete a disclosure form which requires a great deal of specific and detailed information such as information regarding family members, employment history, and other personal details. Moreover, each of these people need to be fingerprinted and have background checks conducted.