<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".15" citation="COMAR 15.20.10.15" title_num="15" subtitle_num="20" chapter_num="10" heading="Assessment of Civil Penalty.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>The Department may impose a civil penalty on a person who violates any provision of Regulations .02—.14 of this chapter.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>The Department may impose a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for a first violation, and a civil penalty of not more than $2,000 for each subsequent violation.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Each day a violation occurs under this section is a separate violation.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>The total penalties imposed on a person for violations of this section that result from the same set of facts and circumstances may not exceed $10,000.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>In assessing a civil penalty imposed under this regulation, the Department shall give consideration to:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The willfulness of the violation, the extent to which the existence of the violation was known to the violator, but uncorrected by the violator, and the extent to which the violator exercised reasonable care;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Any actual harm to human health or to the environment, including injury to, or impairment of, the use of the waters of this State or the natural resources of this State;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The cost of control;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The nature and degree of injury to, or interference with, general welfare, health, and property;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>The extent to which the location of the violation, including location near areas of human population, creates the potential for harm to the environment or to human health and safety; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <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.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>A person aggrieved by any decision of the Department over the assessment of a civil penalty imposed under this chapter may appeal under Agriculture Article, §2-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Unless a stay has been granted, a person against whom a civil penalty has been imposed under this regulation shall promptly pay the penalty to the Department.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>