Gennaro asks Zaidi to explain DEP actions that could start immediately

Thank you very much for your good testimony.

You were talking about how DEP now has the ability to do what tomorrow?

I was trying to follow along.

Could you just go over that again?

There are a couple of things, Chair.

Is that they can adjust the fine schedule without a legislative change.

Another is that there are a variety of solutions that can be pursued as stopgaps to ensure reasonable notification times for respondents.

That would include sending a heads-up letter to the named respondent in a complaint.

Along with access to the video, as soon as that comes in, that can be auto-generated.

Maybe they could save on the bulk first-class mailing by doing it only to fleets that haven't received penalties before, but why not do everyone?

It's a drop in the bucket compared to the overall income.

Finally, I was trying to keep the interests of equipment leasing companies in mind.

Where DEP already batches certain hearings for priority, certain complaints for priority review, batches priority hearings.

For example, for Con Ed, you know, that might happen in a month or two as opposed to 900 days for other people.

What I'm saying is that they know who a lot of the equipment leasing companies are, that they have a particular interest in passing along fines.

There's nothing stopping them from having a filter in place to prioritize those for review.

As another way to address some of the problems from the ongoing backlog.

Well, I certainly appreciate that excellent testimony.

And this is why we're having this hearing, and thank you for your valued addition to it.

Kevin McGee, right?

Yes, thank you.

Okay, sure.