2005 Missouri Revised Statutes - § 444.376. — Administrative penalties, assessment, restriction--conference, conciliation and persuasion--rules--payment--appeal--collection, disposition.

444.376. 1. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, upon a determination by the director that a provision of sections 444.350 to 444.380 or a standard, limitation, order, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, or a term or condition of any permit has been violated, the director may issue an order assessing an administrative penalty upon the violator under this section. An administrative penalty shall not be imposed until the director has sought to resolve the violations through conference, conciliation and persuasion and shall not be imposed for minor violations of sections 444.350 to 444.380 or minor violations of any standard, limitation, order, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to sections 444.350 to 444.380 or minor violations of any term or condition of a permit issued pursuant to sections 444.350 to 444.380. If the violation is resolved through conference, conciliation and persuasion, no administrative penalty shall be assessed unless the violation has caused, or has the potential to cause, a risk to human health or to the environment, or has caused or has potential to cause pollution, or was knowingly committed, or is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as other than minor. Any order assessing an administrative penalty shall state that an administrative penalty is being assessed under this section and that the person subject to the penalty may appeal as provided by this section. Any such order that fails to state the statute under which the penalty is being sought, the manner of collection or rights of appeal shall result in the state's waiving any right to collection of the penalty.

2. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations for the assessment of administrative penalties. The amount of the administrative penalty assessed per day of violation for each violation under this section shall not exceed the amount of the civil penalty specified in section 444.375. Such rules shall reflect the criteria used for the administrative penalty matrix as provided for in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 6928(a), Section 3008(a), and the harm or potential harm which the violation causes, or may cause the violator's previous compliance record, and any other factors which the department may reasonably deem relevant. An administrative penalty shall be paid within sixty days from the date of issuance of the order assessing the penalty. Any person subject to an administrative penalty may appeal any final order assessing an administrative penalty as provided in sections 536.100 to 536.140, RSMo. Any appeal will stay the due date of such administrative penalty until the appeal is resolved. Any person who fails to pay an administrative penalty by the final due date shall be liable to the state for a surcharge of fifteen percent of the penalty plus ten percent per annum on any amounts owed. Any administrative penalty paid pursuant to this section shall be handled in accordance with section 7 of article IX of the state constitution. An action may be brought in the appropriate circuit court to collect any unpaid administrative penalty, and for attorney's fees and costs incurred directly in the collection thereof.

3. An administrative penalty shall not be increased in those instances where department action, or failure to act, has caused a continuation of the violation that was a basis for the penalty. Any administrative penalty must be assessed within two years following the department's initial discovery of such alleged violation, or from the date the department in the exercise of ordinary diligence should have discovered such alleged violation.

4. The state may elect to assess an administrative penalty, or, in lieu thereof, to request that the attorney general or prosecutor file an appropriate legal action seeking a civil penalty in the appropriate circuit court.

5. Any final order imposing an administrative penalty is subject to judicial review upon the filing of a petition pursuant to section 536.100, RSMo, by any person subject to the administrative penalty.

(L. 1991 S.B. 45, A.L. 1993 S.B. 80, et al.)