Adams Sanitation v. DEPT. OF ENV. PROT.

OPINION OF THE COURT

CASTILLE, Justice.

The sole issue presented in this appeal is whether a party who leases a parcel of land and operates a business on that parcel can be required to abate ground water contamination pursuant to Section 316 of the Clean Streams Law1 where the record fails to demonstrate that the party was either responsible for or knew of the contamination. Because this Court finds that Section 316 permits the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”)2 to order an owner or occupier of the contaminated land to remedy the condition caused by pollution, regardless of fault…