[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Phillipsburg 4-18-1995 by Ord. No. O:94-14 (Ch. 30 of the 1969 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Emergency management and Fire Department fees — See Ch. 290, Art. IV.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 311.
A. 
This chapter provides for the reimbursement and the replacement of expended resources and nonreusable equipment maintained or procured by the Town and used in the case of a release or threatened release of any hazardous materials.
B. 
This chapter entitles the Town to reimbursement for the costs of replacing nonreusable equipment and expended resources utilized by the Town or any of its agencies in stopping or containing any release of a hazardous material during an emergency response action.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTION
All activities conducted by the Town to clean up, remove, prevent, contain or mitigate a discharge of hazardous materials that poses an immediate threat to the environment or to the public health, safety or welfare.
EXPENDED RESOURCES
In general, those resources expended that are reasonable, necessary and allocable to the emergency response action. "Expended resources" shall include but are not limited to the following:
A. 
Materials and supplies acquired, consumed or expended specifically for the purpose of the emergency response action.
B. 
Compensation of employees or independent contractors for the time and efforts devoted specifically to the emergency response action.
C. 
Rental or leasing of equipment used specifically for the emergency response action (such as protective, scientific and technical equipment and clothing).
D. 
Replacement costs for equipment owned by the Town that is contaminated beyond reuse or repair, if the loss occurred during an emergency response action (such as self-contained breathing apparatus irreparably contaminated during the response).
E. 
Decontamination of equipment and personnel contaminated during an emergency response action.
F. 
Special technical services specifically required for an emergency response action (such as costs associated with the time and efforts of technical experts or specialists not otherwise provided for by the Town).
G. 
Other special services specifically required for the emergency action.
H. 
Laboratory costs of analyzing samples taken during the emergency response action.
I. 
Costs of cleanup, storage or disposal of the released material.
J. 
Costs associated with services and supplies procured in response to an evacuation resulting from a release.
K. 
Medical expenses incurred, including post-exposure medical surveillance.
L. 
Legal expenses incurred as a result of the emergency response action, including efforts to recover expenses pursuant to this section.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Any material, solid, liquid or gas, classified as a "hazardous material" by federal, state or local legislation or regulation.
RELEASE
Any intentional or unintentional action or omission resulting in the releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying or dumping of hazardous substances into the waters or onto lands within the borders of the Town or into waters outside the jurisdiction of the Town, when damage may result to the lands, waters or natural resources within the borders of the Town.
THREATENED RELEASE
Any imminent or impending event potentially causing but not resulting in a release, but causing the Town to undertake an emergency response action.
TOWN
Unless the context clearly refers to the geographical extent of the municipality, any department, division or agency of the Town of Phillipsburg or of any mutual aid company or department of another municipality while assisting in a cleanup, which incurs costs or suffers damage to or depletion of resources as described herein.
VEHICLE
Any motorized equipment, registered or unregistered, including but not limited to passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, tractor-trailers, construction equipment and farm machinery.
VESSEL
Any container, drum, barrel, box, cylinder or tank used to hold or contain or carry or store any hazardous materials.
Reimbursement to the Town for the costs of any expended resources shall be the responsibility of the following parties, jointly and severally:
A. 
The owner or operator of any vehicle responsible for or contributing to any release or threatened release of hazardous materials.
B. 
The owner or person responsible for any vessel containing hazardous materials involved in or contributing to any release or threatened release on public or private property, whether stationary or in transit, whether accidental or through the negligence of the owner or person responsible for the vessel.
C. 
The owner or person responsible for any property from which any release or threatened release of hazardous materials emanate, whether accidental or through the negligence or intentional acts of the owner or person responsible for the property.
D. 
Any person responsible for or contributing to any release or threatened release of hazardous material on public or private property, whether accidental or through the negligence or intentional acts of the person responsible for contributing to the release or threatened release.
Any person or company responsible for or contributing to any release or threatened release of a hazardous material must provide reimbursement directly to the Town for services rendered by any recovery company, towing company or other technical assistance required by the Town to handle such incident.
Any person, owner or company responsible for or contributing to any release or threatened release of hazardous materials shall reimburse the Town for the full price of replacing any nonusable equipment or expended resources used in an emergency response action concerning any release or threatened release within a period of 30 days after receipt of a bill for such items for the Town.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to conflict with state or federal laws requiring persons causing or responsible for any release or threatened release of a hazardous material to engage in remediation activities or pay the costs thereof, or both.