§342L-8 Enforcement. (a) If the director determines that any person has violated or is violating this chapter, any rule adopted pursuant to this chapter, or any term or condition of a permit or variance issued pursuant to this chapter, the director may do one or more of the following:
(1) Issue an order assessing an administrative penalty for any past or current violation;
(2) Issue an order requiring compliance immediately or within a specified time; or
(3) Commence a civil action in the circuit environmental court in the circuit in which the violation occurred or the person resides or maintains the person's principal place of business for appropriate relief, including a temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunction, the imposition and collection of civil penalties, or other relief.
(b) Any order issued pursuant to this section may include a suspension, modification, or revocation of any permit or variance issued under this chapter, and shall state with reasonable specificity the nature of the violation. Any administrative penalties assessed in the order shall be in accordance with section 342L-11.
(c) Any order issued under this chapter shall become final, unless not later than twenty days after the order is served, the person or persons named therein request in writing a hearing before the director. Any penalty imposed under this chapter shall become due and payable twenty days after the order is served unless the person or persons named therein request in writing a hearing before the director. Whenever a hearing is requested on any penalty imposed under this chapter, the penalty shall become due and payable only upon completion of all review proceedings and the issuance of a final order confirming the penalty in whole or in part. Upon request for a hearing, the director shall require that the alleged violator or violators appear before the director for a hearing at a time and place specified in the notice and answer the charges complained of.
(d) Any hearing conducted under this section shall be conducted as a contested case under chapter 91. If, after a hearing held pursuant to this section, the director finds that one or more violations have occurred or are occurring, the director shall affirm or modify any penalties imposed or shall modify or affirm the order previously issued or issue an appropriate order or orders for the prevention, abatement, or control of the violation or release involved, or for the taking of such other corrective action as may be appropriate. If, after a hearing on an order, the director finds that no violation has occurred or is occurring, the director shall rescind the order. Any order issued after a hearing may prescribe the date or dates by which the violation or violations shall cease and may prescribe timetables for necessary action in preventing, abating, or controlling the violation or release.
(e) If the amount of any penalty is not paid to the department within thirty days after it becomes due and payable, the director may institute a civil action in the name of the State to collect the administrative penalty.
In any proceeding to collect the administrative penalty imposed, the director need only show that:
(1) Notice was given;
(2) A hearing was held or the time granted for requesting a hearing expired without a request for a hearing;
(3) The administrative penalty was imposed; and
(4) The penalty remains unpaid.
(f) In connection with any hearing held pursuant to this section, the director shall have the power to subpoena the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence on behalf of all parties.
(g) All penalties shall be deposited to the credit of the leaking underground storage tank fund established in section 342L-51. [L 1989, c 212, pt of §6; am L 1990, c 298, §14; am L 1992, c 259, §10; am L 1995, c 180, §30; am L 2014, c 218, §8]
Section: Previous 342l-2 342l-3 342l-4 342l-5 342l-6 342l-7 342l-7.5 342l-8 342l-9 342l-10 342l-11 342l-11.5 342l-12 342l-12.5 342l-13 NextLast modified: October 27, 2016