2015 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 2. Agriculture
§2-20-26. Penalties.

A. Any person violating the provisions of the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act or any rule of the State Board of Agriculture promulgated pursuant thereto shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof may be punished by a fine not exceeding Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00).

B. Any owner or operator who fails to take such action as may be reasonable and necessary to avoid pollution of any stream, lake, river or creek, except as otherwise provided by law, or who violates any rule of the Board adopted to prevent water pollution from swine feeding operations pursuant to this act shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof may be punished by a fine of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation, by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months for each violation, or by the assessment of a civil penalty up to Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation or by any of such fine, imprisonment, and civil penalty.

C. 1. In addition to the criminal and civil penalties specified by this section, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry may:

a.assess an administrative penalty of not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per day of noncompliance, or

b.bring an action for injunctive relief granted by a district court.

2. A district court may grant injunctive relief to prevent a violation of, or to compel compliance with, any of the provisions of the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act or any rule promulgated thereunder or order, license or permit issued pursuant to the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act.

3. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Department from seeking penalties in district court in the maximum amount allowed by law. The assessment of penalties in an administrative enforcement proceeding shall not prevent the subsequent assessment by a court of the maximum civil or criminal penalties for violations of the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act.

D. Any person assessed an administrative or civil penalty may be required to pay, in addition to such penalty amount and interest thereon, attorneys fees and costs associated with the collection of such penalties.

E. The Attorney General or the district attorney of the appropriate district court of Oklahoma may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for the prosecution of a violation by any person of a provision of the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act or any rule promulgated thereunder, or order, license or permit issued pursuant thereto.

F. 1. Any action for injunctive relief to redress or restrain a violation by any person of the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act or for any rule promulgated thereunder, or order, license, or permit issued pursuant thereto or recovery of any administrative or civil penalty assessed pursuant to the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act may be brought by:

a.the district attorney of the appropriate district court of the State of Oklahoma,

b.the Attorney General on behalf of the State of Oklahoma, or

c.the Department on behalf of the State of Oklahoma.

2. The court shall have jurisdiction to determine said action, and to grant the necessary or appropriate relief, including but not limited to mandatory or prohibitive injunctive relief, interim equitable relief, and punitive damages.

3. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General and district attorney if requested by the Commissioner of Agriculture to bring such actions.

G. Except as otherwise provided by law, administrative and civil penalties shall be paid into the State Department of Agriculture Revolving Fund.

H. In determining the amount of a civil penalty or administrative penalty, the court or the Department, as the case may be, shall consider such factors as the nature, circumstances and gravity of the violation or violations, the economic benefit, if any, resulting to the defendant from the violation, the history of such violations, any good-faith efforts to comply with the applicable requirements, the economic impact of the penalty on the defendant, the defendant's degree of culpability, and such other matters as justice may require.

I. For the purposes of this section, each day upon which a violation is committed or is permitted to continue shall be deemed a separate offense.

J. In addition to other penalties as may be imposed by law, any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or certification in any water pollution form, notice or report, or who knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained by any water pollution rules promulgated by the Board, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be subject to a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for each violation.

Added by Laws 1969, c. 116, § 12. Amended by Laws 1981, c. 277, § 1, emerg. eff. June 26, 1981; Laws 1993, c. 99, § 1, emerg. eff. April 20, 1993; Laws 1997, c. 331, § 20, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 404, § 18, eff. Aug. 1, 1998. Renumbered from § 9-212 of this title by Laws 2005, c. 292, § 25, eff. July 1, 2005. Amended by Laws 2007, c. 31, § 25, eff. Nov. 1, 2007.