(a)Any permittee who violates any permit condition or who violates any provision of this Act or rules adopted under this Act, may be assessed a civil penalty by the Department for the purpose of aiding in the administration of this Act. If a cessation order is issued under Section 8.06 with respect to a violation, a 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 mining operation; the seriousness of the violation, including any irreparable harm to the environment and any hazard to the health or safety of the
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(a) Any permittee who violates any permit condition or who violates any provision of this Act or rules adopted under this Act, may be assessed a civil penalty by the Department for the purpose of aiding in the administration of this Act. If a cessation order is issued under Section 8.06 with respect to a violation, a 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 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 may be assessed only after the person charged with a violation has been given an opportunity for a public hearing. Such hearings may be consolidated with proceedings under Section 8.06, and shall be of record. If such a hearing is held, the Department shall make findings of fact, and 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 requiring that the penalty be paid. If no public hearing is held, a civil penalty shall be assessed after the Department has determined that a violation occurred, and the amount of the penalty which is warranted, and has issued an order requiring that the penalty be paid. (c) Within 30 days after issuance of a notice or order charging that a violation has occurred, the Department shall inform the operator of the proposed amount of the penalty. The person charged with the penalty shall then have 30 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 Department 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 Department shall within 30 days remit the appropriate amount to the person, with interest at the rate of 6 percent, or at the prevailing United States Department of the Treasury rate, whichever is greater. Failure to forward the money to the Department within 30 days shall result in a waiver of all legal rights to contest the violation or the amount of the penalty. (d) Civil penalties owed under this Section may be recovered in a civil action. (e) Any person who willfully and knowingly violates a condition of a permit or fails or refuses to comply with any order issued under Section 8.06, or any order incorporated in a final decision issued by the Department under this Act, except an order incorporated in a decision issued under subsection (b) of this Section, shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both. (f) Whenever a corporate permittee violates a condition of a permit or fails or refuses to comply with any order issued under Section 8.06, or any order incorporated in a final decision issued by the Department under this Act except an order incorporated in a decision issued under subsection (b) of this Section, 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 on a person under subsections (a) and (e) of this Section. (g) Whoever knowingly makes any false statement, representation, or certification, or knowingly fails to make any statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this Act or by any order or decision issued by the Department under this Act, shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both. (h) Any operator who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued under Section 8.06 within the period allowed for its correction shall be assessed a civil penalty of not less than $750 for each day during which such failure or violation continues. For purposes of this subsection the period allowed for correction shall not end (1) until the entry of a final order by the Department in the case of any review proceedings under Section 8.07 initiated by the operator wherein the Department 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 (2) until the entry of an order of the court, in the case of any review proceedings under Section 8.10 initiated by the operator wherein the court orders the suspension of the abatement requirements of the citation.