2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 30 - Minerals, Oil, and Gas and Environmental Quality
RS 30:918 - Penalties

§918. Penalties

A. Any permittee who violates any permit condition or who violates any other provision of this Chapter, may be assessed a civil penalty by the commissioner, except that if such violation leads to the issuance of a cessation order under section 921, the civil penalty shall be assessed. Such penalty shall not exceed $5,000 for each violation. Each day of continuing violation may be deemed a separate violation for purposes of penalty assessments. In determining the amount of the penalty, consideration shall be given to the permittee's history of previous violations at the particular surface coal mining operation; the seriousness of the violation, including any irreparable harm to the environment and any hazard to the health or safety of the public; whether the permittee was negligent; and the demonstrated good faith of the permittee charged in attempting to achieve rapid compliance after notification of the violation.

B. A civil penalty shall be assessed by the commissioner only after the person charged with a violation described under Subsection A of this Section has been given an opportunity for a public hearing. Where such a public hearing has been held, the commissioner shall make findings of fact, and he shall issue a written decision as to the occurrence of the violation and the amount of the penalty which is warranted, incorporating, when appropriate, an order therein requiring that the penalty be paid. When appropriate, the commissioner shall consolidate such hearings with other proceedings under Section 921 of this Chapter. Any hearing under this Section shall be of record and shall be subject to the Louisiana Administrative Procedure Act, except where the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act are in conflict with this Chapter and the regulations issued by the commissioner pursuant to the Chapter, in which case the provisions of this Chapter and the regulations issued hereunder shall govern. Where the person charged with such a violation fails to avail himself of the opportunity for a public hearing, a civil penalty shall be assessed by the commissioner after the commissioner has determined that a violation did occur, and the amount of the penalty which is warranted, and has issued an order requiring that the penalty be paid.

C. Upon the issuance of a notice or order charging that a violation of Chapter 9 has occurred, the commissioner shall inform the operator within thirty days of the proposed amount of said penalty. The person charged with the penalty shall then have thirty days to pay the proposed penalty in full or, if the person wishes to contest either the amount of the penalty or the fact of the violation, forward the proposed amount to the commissioner for placement in an escrow account. If through administrative or judicial review of the proposed penalty, it is determined that no violation occurred, or that the amount of the penalty should be reduced, the commissioner shall within thirty days remit the appropriate amount to the person, with interest at the rate of 6 percent per annum. Failure to forward the money to the commissioner within thirty days shall result in a waiver of all legal rights to contest the violation or the amount of the penalty.

D. Any person who willfully and knowingly violates a condition of a permit issued pursuant to this Chapter or fails or refuses to comply with any order issued under Section 921 or Section 926 of this Chapter, or any order incorporated in a final decision issued by the commissioner under this Chapter, except an order incorporated in a decision issued under Subsection B of this Section or Subsection C of Section 921 of this Chapter, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

E. Whenever a corporate permittee violates a condition of a permit issued pursuant to this Chapter or fails or refuses to comply with any order issued under Section 921 of this Chapter, or any order incorporated in a final decision issued by the Commissioner under this Chapter except an order incorporated in a decision issued under Subsection B of this Section or Section 928 of this Chapter, any director, officer, or agent of such corporation who willfully and knowingly authorized, ordered, or carried out such violation, failure, or refusal shall be subject to the same civil penalties, fines, and imprisonment that may be imposed upon a person under subsections A and D of this Section.

F. Whoever knowingly makes any false statement, representation, or certification, or knowingly fails to make any statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plant, or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to this Chapter or any regulation issued pursuant to this Chapter or any order or decision issued by the commissioner under this Chapter, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both.

G. Any operator who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued under Section 921A within the period permitted for its correction, which period shall not end until the entry of a final order by the commissioner in the case of any review proceedings under Section 925 initiated by the operator wherein the commissioner orders, after an expedited hearing, the suspension of the abatement requirements of the citation after determining that the operator will suffer irreparable loss or damage from the application of those requirements, or until the entry of an order of the court, in the case of any review proceedings under Section 926 initiated by the operator wherein the court orders the suspension of the abatement requirements of the citation, shall be assessed a civil penalty of not less than $750 for each day during which such failure or violation continues.

H. The commissioner may commence and prosecute civil actions to recover civil penalties owed under this Chapter.

Added by Acts 1978, No. 406, §1. Amended by Acts 1980, No. 121, §4, eff. June 27, 1980.