(1) Information submitted to the department, commission, Permit Board or local soil and water conservation district pertaining to the deposits of materials, trade secrets or privileged commercial or financial information relating to the competitive rights of the applicant and which is specifically identified as confidential, shall not be available for public examination and shall not be considered as a public record if:

(a) The applicant submits a written confidentiality claim to the commission before submission of the information; and

(b) The commission determines the confidentiality claim to be valid.

(2) The confidentiality claim shall include a generic description of the nature of the information included in the submission. The commission shall adopt rules and regulations consistent with the Mississippi Public Records Act regarding access to confidential information. Any information for which a confidentiality claim is asserted shall not be disclosed pending the outcome of any formal hearing and all appeals.

(3) Any person knowingly and willfully making unauthorized disclosures of any information determined to be confidential shall be liable for civil damages arising from the unauthorized disclosure and, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined a sum not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) and dismissed from public office or employment.

(4) This section shall be supplemental to remedies for misappropriation of a trade secret provided in the Mississippi Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Sections 75-26-1 through 75-26-19.