§ 22a-438 — (Formerly Sec. 25-54q). Forfeiture for violations. Penalties.

Connecticut § 22a-438

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 22a: Environmental Protection
• Ch. 446k: Water Pollution Control

Text

(a) Any person who or municipality which violates any provision of this chapter, or section 22a-6 or 22a-7 shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, to be fixed by the court, for each offense. Each violation shall be a separate and distinct offense and, in case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. The Attorney General, upon complaint of the commissioner, shall institute a civil action in the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to recover such penalty. In determining the amount of any penalty assessed under this subsection, the court may consider the nature, circumstances, extent and gravity of the violation, the person or municipality's prior history of violations, the economic benefit resulting to the person or municipality from the violation, and such other factors deemed appropriate by the court. The court shall consider the status of a person or municipality as a persistent violator. The provisions of this section concerning a continuing violation shall not apply to a person or municipality during the time when a hearing on the order pursuant to section 22a-436 or an appeal pursuant to section 22a-437 is pending. (b) Any person who with criminal negligence violates any provision of this chapter, or section 22a-6 or 22a-7 shall be fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars per day for each day of violation or be imprisoned not more than one year or both. A subsequent conviction for any such violation shall carry a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars per day for each day of violation or imprisonment for not more than two years, or both. For the purposes of this subsection, person includes any responsible corporate officer or municipal official. (c) Any person who knowingly violates any provision of this chapter, or section 22a-6 or 22a-7 shall be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars per day for each day of violation or be imprisoned not more than three years, or both. A subsequent conviction for any such violation shall be a class C felony, except that such conviction shall carry a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars per day for each day of violation. For the purposes of this subsection, person includes any responsible corporate officer or municipal official. (d) 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 this chapter, or section 22a-6 or 22a-7 or who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this chapter, or section 22a-6 or 22a-7 shall upon conviction be fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each violation or imprisoned not more than two years for each violation, or both. For the purposes of this subsection, person includes any responsible corporate officer or municipal official. (e) Any person who wilfully or with criminal negligence discharges gasoline in violation of any provision of this chapter, shall be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars per day for each day of violation or be imprisoned not more than three years, or both. A subsequent conviction for any such violation shall be a class C felony, except that such conviction shall carry a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars per day for each day of violation. For the purposes of this subsection, person includes any responsible corporate officer or municipal officer. See Sec. 22a-226c for penalty for illegal disposal of biomedical waste.

Legislative History

(1967, P.A. 57, S. 17; 1969, P.A. 486, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 93; P.A. 73-38, S. 7, 8; P.A. 81-443, S. 4, 7; P.A. 86-203; 86-239, S. 10, 14; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 89-270, S. 4; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; 90-222, S. 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 00-19, S. 3; 00-175, S. 2, 4; P.A. 01-195, S. 176, 181; P.A. 13-258, S. 121.) History: 1969 act limited applicability of section, excluding persons and municipalities when hearing or appeal pending; 1971 act replaced reference to water resources commission with reference to environmental protection commissioner; P.A. 73-38 substituted “wilfully or negligently” for “knowingly” in Subsec. (a), included violations of part II of chapter 474 and increased fine from $1,000 to $10,000, and added Subsecs. (b) and (c) imposing additional penalties; P.A. 81-443 amended Subsec. (a) to delete requirement that violation be “wilful or negligent”, amended Subsec. (b) to revise the standard for conviction of a criminal violation from negligence to criminal negligence; Sec. 25-54q transferred to Sec. 22a-438 in 1983 and references to part II of chapter 474 were deleted, reflecting incorporation of those sections in this chapter; P.A. 86-203 amended Subsec. (a) by making violations of Sec. 22a-6 or 22a-7 subject to the forfeiture provisions of the subsection, amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions regarding subsequent convictions and amended Subsec. (c) by making penalties applicable to each separate violation; P.A. 86-239 made a technical change clarifying provision re continuing violations; P.A. 89-270 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing the maximum penalty from $10,000 to $25,000 and made technical changes (Revisor's note: P.A. 88-230 authorized substitution of “judicial district of Hartford” for “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” in the public and special acts of 1989, effective September 1, 1991); P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 90-222 amended Subsec. (a) by adding the factors a court may consider when determining the amount of penalty; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 00-19 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting “or municipality which wilfully or” and adding “or municipal official”, inserted new Subsec. (c) re criminal penalties for knowingly violating provisions and subsequent convictions, redesignated former Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d) and amended said Subsec. by deleting “or municipality which”, increasing criminal penalties and adding provision specifying that person includes responsible corporate officer or municipal official; P.A. 00-175 added new provisions, designated as Subsec. (e), re criminal penalties for discharging gasoline in violation of chapter, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 amended Subsec. (e) to delete reference to municipality and to include municipal officers within the definition of person, effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 13-258 amended Subsecs. (c) and (e) to substitute provisions re class C felony for provisions re imprisonment of not more than 10 years and made technical changes. Cited. 204 C. 38; 226 C. 205; 227 C. 175; 237 C. 135. Trial court did not abuse its discretion in imposing penalties because violations were serious and ongoing and defendant's intentions were irrelevant under strict liability scheme of the act. 275 C. 420. Cited. 19 CA 216. Forfeiture provision applies to violations of orders to abate pollution issued under Sec. 22a-431; expressly applies to any provision in chapter. 21 CA 91. Cited. 30 CA 204; 41 CA 120. Factors that guide courts in assessing penalties under Sec. 22a-226, including size of business involved, also apply to penalties under this section. 132 CA 110.