During the past several years, many industrial companies have been surprised by notices of violation (NOVs) and threats of law suits from the Riverkeeper Inc. and Raritan Baykeeper Inc. (d/b/a NY/NJ Baykeeper) represented by Super Law Group, LLC.
- These lawsuits are allowed under the Clean Water Act, making it possible for private citizens to sue property owners for illegal discharges to protected bodies of water, either directly or indirectly.
- These lawsuits frequently then result in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) issuing Notices of Violation (NOVs).
- It puts a lot of stress on the shoulders of business owners because, regardless whether the Riverkeeper/Baykeeper’s notices of violation have grounds or not, the owner needs to hire a knowledgeable lawyer and an environmental engineer to resolve the issue.
If the violation has grounds, the business owner will need to comply with all applicable US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NYSDEC, NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and other local regulations (if any) and apply for coverage under the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Program.
This may be in the form of a multi-sector general permit (MSGP) for a specific sector of industrial activity on a given property or a site-specific Permit.
Please contact Walden Environmental Engineering to learn how we can help you.