71-5304.01. Violations; administrative orders; director; emergency powers; hearing; administrative penalties.

(1) Whenever the director has reason to believe that a violation of any provision of the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act, any rule or regulation adopted and promulgated under such act, or any term of a variance or exemption issued pursuant to section 71-5310 has occurred, he or she may cause an administrative order to be served upon the permittee or permittees alleged to be in violation. Such order shall specify the violation and the facts alleged to constitute a violation and shall order that necessary corrective action be taken within a reasonable time to be prescribed in such order. Any such order shall become final unless the permittee or permittees named in the order request in writing a hearing before the director no later than thirty days after the date such order is served. In lieu of such order, the director may require that the permittee or permittees appear before the director at a time and place specified in the notice and answer the charges. The notice shall be served on the permittee or permittees alleged to be in violation not less than thirty days before the time set for the hearing.

(2) Whenever the director finds that an emergency exists requiring immediate action to protect the public health and welfare concerning a material which is determined by the director to be harmful or potentially harmful to human health, the director may, without notice or hearing, issue an order reciting the existence of such an emergency and requiring that such action be taken as the director deems necessary to meet the emergency. Such order shall be effective immediately. Any person to whom such order is directed shall comply immediately and, on written application to the director, shall be afforded a hearing as soon as possible and not later than ten days after receipt of such application by such affected person. On the basis of such hearing, the director shall continue such order in effect, revoke it, or modify it.

(3) The director shall afford to the alleged violator an opportunity for a fair hearing before the director under the Administrative Procedure Act.

(4) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the director may issue an order assessing an administrative penalty upon a violator.

(5) The range of administrative penalties assessed under this section for a public water system serving ten thousand or more persons shall be not less than one thousand dollars per day or part thereof for each violation, not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars in the aggregate. Administrative penalties for a public water system serving fewer than ten thousand persons shall be not more than five hundred dollars per day or part thereof for each violation, not to exceed five thousand dollars in the aggregate. In determining the amount of the administrative penalty, the department shall take into consideration all relevant circumstances, including, but not limited to, the harm or potential harm which the violation causes or may cause, the violator's previous compliance record, the nature and persistence of the violation, any corrective actions taken, and any other factors which the department may reasonably deem relevant. The administrative penalty assessment shall state specific amounts to be paid for each violation identified in the order.

(6) An administrative penalty shall be paid within sixty days after the date of issuance of the order assessing the penalty. Any person who fails to pay an administrative penalty by the final due date shall be liable to the state for the penalty amount plus any statutory interest rate applicable to judgments. An order under this section imposing an administrative penalty may be appealed to the director in the manner provided for in subsection (1) of this section. Any administrative penalty paid pursuant to this section shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for distribution in accordance with Article VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska. An action may be brought in the appropriate court to collect any unpaid administrative penalty and for attorney's fees and costs incurred directly in the collection of the penalty.

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