(a) Any person who intentionally or negligently does any of the following acts shall be subject to an administrative civil penalty for a spill not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), for each violation as imposed by the administrator pursuant to Section 8670.68, and each day or partial day that a violation occurs is a separate violation:
(1) Except as provided in Section 8670.27, fails to follow the applicable contingency plans or the direction or orders of the administrator in connection with a spill or inland spill.
(2) Fails to notify the Coast Guard that a vessel is disabled within one hour of the disability and the vessel, while disabled, causes a discharge that enters waters of the state. For purposes of this paragraph, “vessel” means a vessel, as defined in Section 21 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, of 300 gross tons or more.
(3) Is responsible for a spill, unless the discharge is authorized by the United States, the state, or other agency with appropriate jurisdiction.
(4) Fails to begin cleanup, abatement, or removal of spilled oil as required by Section 8670.25.
(b) Except as provided in subdivision (a), any person who intentionally or negligently violates any provision of this chapter, or Division 7.8 (commencing with Section 8750) of the Public Resources Code, or any permit, rule, regulation, standard, cease and desist order, or requirement issued or adopted pursuant to those provisions, shall be liable for an administrative civil penalty as imposed by the administrator pursuant to Section 8670.68, not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each violation of a separate provision, or, for continuing violations, for each day that violation continues.
(c) A person shall not be liable for a civil penalty imposed under this section and for a civil penalty imposed pursuant to Section 8670.66 for the same act or failure to act.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 35, Sec. 55. (SB 861) Effective June 20, 2014.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018