Senator Sean T. Kean

September 8, 2009

Contact: Bill Murray / (609) 292-5199
Senator Sean T. Kean (R-11)

Senator Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) urged the Legislature to immediately pass his bill doubling the penalties for those who pollute New Jersey’s beaches. Syringes and other medical waste washed up on Island Beach State Park last week. In June of this year, syringes washed up on an eight mile long stretch of beach on Long Beach Island. Last year, a Pennsylvania dentist admitted dumping hundreds of syringes and other medical waste forcing 117 beach closings.

“Our beaches are the economic engine that drives New Jersey’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry,” Kean stated. “It is essential that we employ every means necessary to ensure that our beaches and waters are protected and that polluters are severely punished.”

The bill, S-2191/A-3271, would double the civil penalties for those who violate the Comprehensive Regulated Medical Waste Act. The penalties would be increased from a maximum of $50,000 to a maximum of $100,000. Additional penalties would be levied against violators who fail to obey a court order, an administrative order or to fail to pay a fine in full. The penalties would be accessed per day for each violation.

The bill would also expand penalties for ocean dumping under the Ocean Dumping Enforcement Act. The Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection would have the additional options of bringing a civil action, levying civil penalties of not more than $100,000, or petitioning the Attorney General to bring a criminal action if the violator is found to have dumped waste intentionally.

“Given the past problems that we have had with ocean dumping, I am shocked that this bill wasn’t voted out of both houses before the Legislature broke for the summer,” Kean continued. “It is currently on second reading in both houses, it has bipartisan support and it must be signed into law at the earliest possible moment.”

The legislation would also penalize those who derive economic benefit from illegal disposal of medical waste.

Senator Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) urged the Legislature to immediately pass his bill doubling the penalties for those who pollute New Jersey’s beaches. Syringes and other medical waste washed up on Island Beach State Park last week. In June of this year, syringes washed up on [...]