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42 U.S.C. § 9152 — Remedies and penalties

submitted 46 years ago by Pub. L. 96-320 to r/title-42-THE-PUBLIC-HEALTH-AND-WELFARE · 986 words · no verdicts yet

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The Administrator can issue compliance orders and assess civil penalties. The Attorney General can seek court relief, and willful violations can bring criminal penalties; covered vessels can also be liable for penalties.

(a) Issuance and enforcement of orders. (1) In proceedings under this chapter, the Administrator or a delegate may issue and enforce orders. This includes issuing subpoenas, administering oaths, compelling witnesses to attend and testify and produce books, papers, documents, and other evidence, taking depositions before a person authorized to administer oaths, and examining witnesses. (2) If available information shows that a person covered by section 9151 is violating this chapter, a rule, regulation, order, license, license term or condition, or another requirement under this chapter, the Administrator may order compliance or bring a civil action under subsection (b). (3) A compliance order must reasonably specifically describe the violation and set a reasonable compliance deadline of no more than 30 days, considering the seriousness of the violation and good-faith compliance efforts. (b) Civil actions by Attorney General; equitable relief. (1) At the Administrator’s request, the Attorney General must bring a civil action for appropriate relief, including a temporary or permanent injunction, to stop a violation for which the Administrator may issue a compliance order under subsection (a)(2). (2) At the Administrator’s request, the Attorney General must bring an action in an appropriate United States district court for equitable relief against a covered person’s violation of this chapter, a regulation under it, or a license condition. (c) Civil penalties. (1) After notice and an opportunity for a hearing under 5 U.S.C. § 554, a person whom the Administrator finds committed an act prohibited by section 9151 is liable to the United States for up to $25,000 per violation. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. The Administrator or designee assesses the penalty by written notice. In setting it, the Administrator must consider the act’s nature, circumstances, extent, and seriousness; the violator’s culpability, prior offenses, ability to pay; and other matters justice requires. (2) The person may seek review by filing a notice of appeal in the proper United States court within 30 days after the order and simultaneously sending a certified-mail copy to the Administrator. The Administrator must promptly file a certified record as provided in 28 U.S.C. § 2112. The court must set aside the Administrator’s findings and order if substantial evidence does not support them, as provided in 5 U.S.C. § 706(2). (3) If a covered person does not pay a civil penalty after it becomes final or after final judgment for the Administrator, the Administrator must refer the matter to the Attorney General, who must recover it in an appropriate United States court. The final penalty order’s validity and appropriateness cannot be reviewed in that action. (4) The Administrator may compromise, change, or cancel a penalty, with or without conditions. (d) Criminal penalties. (1) A covered person commits an offense by willfully committing an act prohibited by section 9151. (2) Except for an offense whose punishment is prescribed by section 9113, an offense is punishable by a fine of up to $75,000 for each day the violation continues. An offense under section 9151(2), (3), (4), or (5) is punishable by that fine, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. If the person uses a dangerous weapon, causes bodily injury to a Federal officer or employee, or puts one in fear of imminent bodily injury, the offense is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. (e) In rem liability of vessels. A licensed ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship, and any other United States-documented or numbered vessel, except a public vessel engaged in noncommercial activities, used in a violation of this chapter or its rules, orders, license, terms or conditions, or other requirements, is liable in rem for the civil penalty or criminal fine. It may be proceeded against in any United States district court with jurisdiction when one or more owners or bareboat charterers was a consenting party to, or knowingly involved in, the violation.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain
(a) Issuance and enforcement of orders
(1)

The Administrator or his delegate shall have the authority to issue and enforce orders during proceedings brought under this chapter. Such authority shall include the authority to issue subpenas, administer oaths, compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, papers, documents, and other evidence, to take depositions before any designated individual competent to administer oaths, and to examine witnesses.

(2)

Whenever on the basis of any information available to him the Administrator finds that any person subject to section 9151 of this title is in violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule, regulation, order, license, or term or condition thereof, or other requirements under this chapter, he may issue an order requiring such person to comply with such provision or requirement, or bring a civil action in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

(3)

Any compliance order issued under this subsection shall state with reasonable specificity the nature of the violation and a time for compliance, not to exceed 30 days, which the Administrator determines is reasonable, taking into account the seriousness of the violation and any good faith efforts to comply with applicable requirements.

(b) Civil actions by Attorney General; equitable relief
(1)

Upon a request by the Administrator, the Attorney General shall commence a civil action for appropriate relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, to halt any violation for which the Administrator is authorized to issue a compliance order under subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(2)

Upon a request by the Administrator, the Attorney General shall bring an action in an appropriate district court of the United States for equitable relief to redress a violation, by any person subject to section 9151 of this title, of any provision of this chapter, any regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, or any license condition.

(c) Civil penalties
(1)

Any person who is found by the Administrator, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, to have committed an act prohibited by section 9151 of this title shall be liable to the United States for a civil penalty, not to exceed $25,000 for each violation. Each day of a continuing violation shall constitute a separate violation. The amount of such civil penalty shall be assessed by the Administrator, or his designee, by written notice. In determining the amount of such penalty, the Administrator shall take into account the nature, circumstances, extent and gravity of the prohibited acts committed and, with respect to the violator, the degree of culpability, any history of prior offenses, ability to pay, and such other matters as justice may require.

(2)

Any person against whom a civil penalty is assessed under paragraph (1) of this subsection may obtain a review thereof in the appropriate court of the United States by filing a notice of appeal in such court within 30 days from the date of such order and by simultaneously sending a copy of such notice by certified mail to the Administrator. The Administrator shall promptly file in such court a certified copy of the record upon which such violation was found or such penalty imposed, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. The findings and order of the Administrator shall be set aside by such court if they are not found to be supported by substantial evidence, as provided in section 706(2) of title 5.

(3)

If any person subject to section 9151 of this title fails to pay an assessment of a civil penalty against him after it has become final, or after the appropriate court has entered final judgment in favor of the Administrator, the Administrator shall refer the matter to the Attorney General of the United States, who shall recover the amount assessed in any appropriate court of the United States. In such action, the validity and appropriateness of the final order imposing the civil penalty shall not be subject to review.

(4)

The Administrator may compromise, modify, or remit, with or without conditions, any civil penalty which is subject to imposition or which has been imposed under this subsection.

(d) Criminal penalties
(1)

Any person subject to section 9151 of this title is guilty of an offense if he willfully commits any act prohibited by such section.

(2)

Any offense, other than an offense for which the punishment is prescribed by section 9113 of this title, is punishable by a fine of not more than $75,000 for each day during which the violation continues. Any offense described in paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) of section 9151 of this title is punishable by the fine or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. If, in the commission of any offense, the person subject to section 9151 of this title uses a dangerous weapon, engages in conduct that causes bodily injury to any Federal officer or employee, or places any Federal officer or employee in fear of imminent bodily injury, the offense is punishable by a fine of not more than $100,000 or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.

(e) In rem liability of vessels

Any ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship licensed pursuant to this chapter and any other vessel documented or numbered under the laws of the United States, except a public vessel engaged in noncommercial activities, used in any violation of this chapter or of any rule, regulation, order, license, or term or condition thereof, or other requirements of this chapter, shall be liable in rem for any civil penalty assessed or criminal fine imposed and may be proceeded against in any district court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, whenever it shall appear that one or more of the owners, or bareboat charterers, was at the time of the violation a consenting party or privy to such violation.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 96–320, title III, § 302, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 995; Pub. L. 98–623, title VI, § 602(e)(5), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3412.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit
  • 1980Enacted · Pub. L. 96-320 · 94 Stat. 995
  • 1984Amended · Pub. L. 98-623 · 98 Stat. 3412

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 96-320 on 1980-08-03.

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