§ 12:7C-16 — Removal of vessel, costs; violations, penalties.

10. a. After receiving title, if the applicant desires to remove an abandoned vessel from the applicant's land or the water immediately adjacent thereto, or from a municipal waterway or land owned by the municipality, or to destroy such vessel, any costs incurred by the applicant shall be borne by the previous owner of the vessel, provided that the owner shall have been identified pursuant to section 5 or 6 of P.L.1975, c.369 (C.12:7C-11 or C.12:7C-12). b. (1) A previous owner who does not pay the removal cost of the vessel, or who does not reimburse the applicant for the removal cost of the vessel, shall be liable to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000, in addition to any penalty that may be imposed under section 3 of P.L.1975, c.369 (C.12:7C-9). (2) The civil penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection shall be collected pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), in a summary proceeding. An official authorized by statute or ordinance to enforce regulations related to municipal waterways or a law enforcement officer having enforcement authority in that municipality may issue a summons for a violation of the provisions of this section and may serve and execute all process with respect to the enforcement of this section consistent with the Rules of Court. A penalty recovered under the provisions of this section shall be recovered by and in the name of the State by the local municipality. The penalty shall be paid into the treasury of the municipality in which the violation occurred for the general uses of the municipality. L.1975, c.369, s.10; amended 2008, c.52, s.13.