1. Any person who violates any provision of part 1 of division III of this chapter or any permit, rule, standard, or order issued under part 1 of division III of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars for each day of such violation.
2. Any person who negligently or knowingly violates section 455B.183 or section 455B.186 or any condition or limitation included in any permit issued under section 455B.183, or who negligently or knowingly introduces into a sewer system or into a publicly owned treatment works any pollutant or hazardous substance which the person knew or reasonably should have known could cause personal injury or property damage or, other than in compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements or permits, negligently or knowingly causes a treatment works to violate any water quality standard, effluent standard, pretreatment standard or condition of a permit issued to the treatment works pursuant to section 455B.183 is guilty of a serious misdemeanor for a negligent violation and is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor for a knowing violation. A conviction for a negligent violation is punishable by a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each day of violation or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both; however, if the conviction is for a second or subsequent violation committed by a person under this subsection, the conviction is punishable by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars for each day of violation or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both. A conviction for a knowing violation is punishable by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars for each day of violation or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both; however, if the conviction is for a second or subsequent violation committed by a person under this subsection, the conviction is punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars for each day of violation or by imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. As used in this section, "hazardous substance" means hazardous substance as defined in section 455B.381 or section 455B.411.
3. Any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan or other document filed or required to be maintained under part 1 of division III of this chapter, or who falsifies, tampers with or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under part 1 of division III of this chapter or by any permit, rule, regulation, or order issued under part 1 of division III of this chapter, shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.
4. The attorney general shall, at the request of the director with approval of the commission, institute any legal proceedings, including an action for an injunction or a temporary injunction, necessary to enforce the penalty provisions of part 1 of division III of this chapter or to obtain compliance with the provisions of part 1 of division III of this chapter or any rules promulgated or any provision of any permit issued under part 1 of division III of this chapter. In any such action, any previous findings of fact of the director or the commission after notice and hearing shall be conclusive if supported by substantial evidence in the record when the record is viewed as a whole.
5. In all proceedings with respect to any alleged violation of the provisions of this part 1 of division III or any rule established by the commission or the department, the burden of proof shall be upon the commission or the department except in an action for contempt as provided in section 455B.182.
6. If the attorney general has instituted legal proceedings in accordance with this section, all related issues which could otherwise be raised by the alleged violator in a proceeding for judicial review under section 455B.178 shall be raised in the legal proceedings instituted in accordance with this section.
7. The department may impose a civil penalty upon a habitual violator which shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars for each day the violation continues. The increased penalty may be assessed for each violation committed subsequent to the violation which results in classifying the person as a habitual violator. A person shall be classified as a habitual violator, if the person has committed three or more violations as described in this subsection. To be considered a violation that is applicable to a habitual violator determination, a violation must have been committed on or after January 1, 1995. In addition, each violation must have been referred to the attorney general for legal action under this chapter, and each violation must be subject to the assessment of a civil penalty or a court conviction, in the five years prior to the date of the latest violation provided in this subsection, counting any violation committed by a confinement feeding operation in which the person holds a controlling interest. A person shall be removed from the classification of habitual violator on the date on which the person and all confinement feeding operations in which the person holds a controlling interest have committed less than three violations described in this subsection for the prior five years. For purposes of counting violations, a continuing and uninterrupted violation shall be considered as one violation. Different types of violations shall be counted as separate violations regardless of whether the violations were committed during the same period. A violation must relate to one of the following:
a. The construction or operation of a confinement feeding operation structure or anaerobic lagoon which is part of a confinement feeding operation, or the installation or use of a related pollution control device or practice, for which the person must obtain a permit, in violation of this chapter, or rules adopted by the department, including the terms or conditions of the permit.
b. Intentionally making a false statement or misrepresenting information to the department as part of an application for a construction permit for a confinement feeding operation structure or anaerobic lagoon which is part of a confinement feeding operation, or the installation of a related pollution control device or practice for which the person must obtain a construction permit.
c. Failing to obtain a permit or approval by the department in violation of this chapter or departmental rule which requires a permit to construct or operate a confinement feeding operation or use a confinement feeding operation structure, anaerobic lagoon, or a pollution control device or practice which is part of a confinement feeding operation.
d. Operating a confinement feeding operation, including a confinement feeding operation structure or anaerobic lagoon which is part of a confinement feeding operation, or a related pollution control device or practice, which causes pollution to the waters of the state, if the pollution was caused intentionally, or caused by a failure to take measures required to abate the pollution which resulted from an act of God.
e. Failing to submit a manure management plan as required pursuant to section 455B.203, or operating a confinement feeding operation without having a manure management plan approved by the department.
This subsection shall not apply unless the department of natural resources has previously notified the person of the person's classification as a habitual violator. The department shall notify persons classified as habitual violators of their classification, additional restrictions imposed upon the persons pursuant to their classification, and special civil penalties that may be imposed upon the persons. The notice shall be sent to the persons by certified mail.
8. Moneys assessed and collected in civil penalties and interest earned on civil penalties, arising out of a violation involving an animal feeding operation, shall be deposited in the manure storage indemnity fund as created in section 455J.2.
[C66, 71, § 455B.23, 455B.25; C73, § 455B.43, 455B.45, 455B.49; C75, § 455B.43, 455B.49; C77, 79, 81, § 455B.49]
C83, § 455B.187
C85, § 455B.191
86 Acts, ch 1245, § 1899A; 88 Acts, ch 1080, § 1, 2; 95 Acts, ch 195, §23; 98 Acts, ch 1209, §24
Referred to in §15E.208, 29C.8A, 272C.4, 455B.104, 455B.109, 455B.175, 455B.178, 455B.200A, 455B.202, 455B.203, 455K.8
Previous Section 455B.190A
Next Section 455B.192
© 1999 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments about this site or page?
webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.
Last update: Thu Mar 18 15:00:31 CST 1999
URL: /DOCS/IACODE/1999/455B/191.html
jhf