Overview

Faced with the challenge of properly cleaning up contaminated sites in a timely manner, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ("NJDEP") worked closely with the Legislature and stakeholders to develop legislation that dramatically altered the process for conducting environmental investigations and cleanups. In May 2009, the Governor signed the Site Remediation Reform Act ("SRRA") into law.

SRRA establishes a licensing program for Site Remediation Professionals ("LSRPs") who have responsibility for oversight of environmental investigation and cleanups. The LSRP's highest priority is protection of public health and safety and the environment. Although the law changes the administrative process, it maintains the existing NJDEP clean-up standards. The NJDEP continues to have final authority over the clean-up process by requiring that remediating parties comply with applicable regulations, but the day-to-day management of cleanups is overseen by LSRPs.

Under SRRA, cleanup of contaminated sites will proceed more quickly, providing a greater measure of environmental protection to the citizens of New Jersey. A critical component of SRRA is the establishment of a thirteen-member Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board that is responsible for licensing and performance of LSRPs. For information about the Board and its operations, see About the Board.

Function of the Board

The primary function of the Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board is to establish licensing requirements and oversee the licensing and performance of site remediation professionals.

The duties of the Board are described in Section 5 of SRRA as follows:

• review and approve or deny applications for licensing site remediation professionals;
• administer and evaluate licensing examinations for site remediation professionals;
• issue licenses and license renewals;
• establish standards and requirements for continuing education of LSRPs;
• approve or offer continuing education courses, and track fulfillment of continuing education requirements by LSRPs;
• establish and collect fees for examinations, licenses, renewals, or any other services required for the licensing of site remediation professionals;
• adopt and administer standards for professional conduct for LSRPs;
• investigate complaints, impose discipline, and suspend and revoke licenses of site remediation professionals who violate the provisions of SRRA;
• publish and maintain the names and contact information of LSRPs, and a list of site remediation professionals whose license has been suspended or revoked by the board;
• provide public information on the LSRP program; and
• maintain a record of complaints filed against LSRPs and provide the public with information upon request.