AUGUST 25, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015, 9:36 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Village Council took action this month to pass a resolution settling a long-standing matter between Ridgewood Water and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) dealing with a contested permit violation.
The settlement requires the village to withdraw its request for a hearing regarding the contested violation with the NJDEP Commissioner and administrative courts and pay $55,000, which will come from water utility revenues.
At the end of the Aug. 12 public meeting, Village Attorney Matthew Rogers explained the decision came down to how much money the matter would cost to litigate versus what the potential result might be of an administrative process involving the NJDEP. More than $120,000 in penalties were sought by the NJDEP.
“After probably two full years of trying to work with DEP and then litigating with DEP, we came to the conclusion this is the best way to approach it and to resolve the matter where we know there’s an outcome and resolve it to the point where we can rely now on newly issued permits that take into consideration what those exceedances were before and hopefully cover us in the future,” Rogers said.
Anyone know what happing with the illegal dumping of concrete investigation? Or is going to be the taxpayers will pay for the removal and the finds. Bend over everyone.
The decision to settle this matter seems to make sense.
But, what were the DEP fines based on, what were the “excessive amounts” of water withdrawal?
Perhaps our Village Mgr. , Water Dept. Director, Mayor — Somebody who knows, can explain it all to our readers here. It’s a quiet afternoon.
Keep hoping Dom.
Looks like they’re taking the same approach with Valley. Cheaper just to settle and give them what they want. Just watch.