16. a. The owner or operator of an industrial establishment may apply to the department to close operations or transfer ownership or operations at an industrial establishment without obtaining departmental approval of a remedial action workplan or a negative declaration or without the approval of a remediation agreement as provided in subsection e. of section 4 of P.L.1983, c.330 (C. 13:1K-9), if the industrial establishment is already in the process of a remediation pursuant to subsection b. of section 4 of P.L.1983, c.330 (C. 13:1K-9) or a remediation equivalent to that performed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.330, including a cleanup being performed under the “Resource Conservation and Recovery Act,” 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq. or the “Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980,” 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.. The application shall include:

(1) the notice required pursuant to the provisions of subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1983, c.330;

(2) a certification that there has been no discharge of any hazardous substance or hazardous waste at the industrial establishment during the applicant’s period of operation or ownership or that the remediation of any discharge of a hazardous substance or hazardous waste that occurred during the applicant’s period of ownership or operation was approved by the department;

(3) a certification by the owner or operator that a remediation funding source for the cost of the remediation or the implementation of the remedial action workplan at the industrial establishment has been established as required pursuant to section 25 of P.L.1993, c.139 (C. 58:10B-3); and

(4) a certification, as applicable, that any transferee of the industrial establishment has been notified that the industrial establishment is the subject of a remediation.

b. Upon the submission of a complete application, and upon a finding that the information submitted is accurate, the department shall authorize, in writing, that the applicant may close operations or transfer ownership or operations of the industrial establishment.

L.1993,c.139,s.16.