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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="5-514" title_number="5" title_name="Water Resources" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Appropriation or Use of Waters, Reservoirs, and Dams">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In addition to being subject to an injunctive action under this subtitle, a person who violates any provision of this subtitle or any regulation, order, or permit adopted or issued under this subtitle is liable for a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 per violation to be collected in a civil action brought by the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each day a violation occurs or continues is a separate violation under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Before bringing a civil action against a local government under this subsection, the Department shall meet and consult with the local government to seek an alternative resolution to the contested issue.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Prior consultation by the Department with the local government shall constitute compliance with this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A person who violates a provision of this subtitle or a regulation adopted under this subtitle is subject to the penalties provided in § 9–343 of this article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In addition to any other remedies available at law or in equity and after an opportunity for a hearing, which may be waived in writing by the person accused of a violation, the Department may impose a penalty for violation of any provision of this subtitle or any regulation, order, or permit adopted or issued under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The penalty imposed on a person under this subsection shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Up to $5,000 for each violation, but not exceeding $100,000 total; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Assessed with consideration given to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The willfulness of the violation, the extent to which the existence of the violation was known to but uncorrected by the violator, and the extent to which the violator exercised reasonable care;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Any actual harm to the environment or to human health, including injury to or impairment of the use of the waters of the State or the natural resources of the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The cost of cleanup and the cost of restoration of natural resources;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>The nature and degree of injury to or interference with general welfare, health, and property;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>The extent to which the location of the violation, including location near waters of the State or areas of human population, creates the potential for harm to the environment or to human health or safety;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>The available technology and economic reasonableness of controlling, reducing, or eliminating the violation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>The degree of hazard or harm posed by the violation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="8">
          <text>The extent to which the current violation is part of a recurrent pattern of the same or similar type of violation committed by the violator; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="9">
          <text>The degree of cooperation with the Department after being notified of the violation and any good faith efforts to address the violation.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Each day a violation exists is a separate violation under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Any penalty imposed under this subsection is payable to the State and collectible in any manner provided at law for the collection of debts.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If any person who is liable to pay a penalty imposed under this subsection fails to pay the penalty after demand, the amount, together with interest and any costs that may accrue, shall be a lien in favor of the State on any:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Real property of the person when recorded with the clerk of the circuit court for the county in which the property is located; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Personal property of the person when attached and levied by the State in accordance with the Maryland Rules.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Before taking any civil or administrative action to recover a penalty under subsection (a) or (c) of this section, the Department shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Provide the person alleged to have violated this subtitle with written notice of the proposed penalty and an opportunity for an informal meeting concerning settlement of the proposed civil or administrative penalty;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Use discretion to determine whether a formal enforcement action under this section is appropriate; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If applicable, review any good faith application from the person, or an authorized representative of the person, for a loan from the Private Dam Repair Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, all funds collected by the Department under this section, including any civil or administrative penalties or any fine imposed by a court under the provisions of this section, shall be paid into the Maryland Clean Water Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Funds collected by the Department under this section relating to an unsafe condition shall be paid into the Private Dam Repair Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
