(A) The attorney general, upon the written request of the director of environmental protection, shall criminally prosecute to termination or bring a civil action for injunction in any court of competent jurisdiction against any person who has violated or is violating any section of this chapter or any rule adopted or order issued under it. The court in which an action for injunction is filed has jurisdiction to and shall grant preliminary and permanent injunctive relief upon a showing that the person against whom the action is brought has violated or is violating any section of this chapter or a rule adopted or order issued under it. Upon a showing that such a violation or threatened violation endangers or threatens to endanger public health or safety or is causing or threatening to cause air or water pollution or soil contamination, the court shall give precedence to such an action over all other cases. Notwithstanding any section of the Revised Code relating to the distribution and crediting of fines for violations of the Revised Code, fines imposed under section 3752.99 of the Revised Code for all violations prosecuted by the attorney general under this division shall be credited to the immediate removal fund created in section 3745.12 of the Revised Code.

(B) The prosecuting attorney of the county, city director of law of the city, or village solicitor of the village where a violation has occurred or is occurring, upon obtaining the written approval of the director and the attorney general, may bring a civil action for injunction on behalf of the county, city, or village, as appropriate, against any person who has violated or is violating any section of this chapter or a rule adopted or order issued under it. A prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor who seeks to bring an action for injunction under this division first shall submit a written request for approval to do so to the director and the attorney general. The director and the attorney general, at their discretion, shall approve or disapprove the request and, upon doing so, shall mail notice of the approval or disapproval of the request by first class mail to the prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor. If either the director or the attorney general disapproves the request, the prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor shall not bring the action for injunction in connection with the violation named in the request.

A civil action for injunction authorized pursuant to this division may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction. The court in which such an action for injunction is filed has jurisdiction to and shall grant preliminary and permanent injunctive relief upon a showing that the person against whom the action is brought has violated or is violating any section of this chapter or a rule adopted or order issued under it. Upon a showing that such a violation or threatened violation endangers or threatens to endanger public health or safety or is causing or threatening to cause air or water pollution or soil contamination, the court shall give precedence to such an action over all other cases.

(C) Whoever violates any section of this chapter or a rule adopted or order issued under it, except section 3752.07, 3752.11, 3752.111, or 3752.113 of the Revised Code, a rule adopted under section 3752.03 of the Revised Code pertaining to the securing of buildings, structures, or outdoor locations of operation, or an order issued to enforce section 3752.07 of the Revised Code or such a rule, shall pay a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each day of each violation. Whoever violates section 3752.07 or 3752.113 of the Revised Code, a rule adopted under section 3752.03 of the Revised Code pertaining to the securing of buildings, structures, or outdoor locations of operation in connection with either of those sections, or an order issued to enforce section 3752.07 of the Revised Code or such a rule shall pay a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each day of each violation. Whoever violates section 3752.11 or 3752.111 of the Revised Code or a rule adopted under section 3752.03 of the Revised Code pertaining to the securing of buildings, structures, or outdoor locations of operation in connection with either of those sections shall pay a civil penalty in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the director or the appropriate political subdivision under division (A) of section 3752.112 of the Revised Code as a result of the violation.

(1) The attorney general, upon the written request of the director, shall bring a civil action for imposition of a civil penalty under division (C) of this section against any person who has committed or is committing any such violation.

(2) The prosecuting attorney of the county, city director of law of the city, or village solicitor of the village where a violation has occurred or is occurring, upon obtaining the written approval of the director and the attorney general, may bring a civil action for imposition of a civil penalty on behalf of the county, city, or village, as appropriate, against a person who has committed or is committing a violation of any section of this chapter or a rule adopted or order issued under it. A prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor who seeks to bring an action for the imposition of a civil penalty first shall submit a written request for approval to do so to the director and the attorney general. The director and the attorney general, at their discretion, shall approve or disapprove the request and, upon doing so, shall mail notice of the approval or disapproval of the request by first class mail to the prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor. If either the director or the attorney general disapproves the request, the prosecuting attorney, city director of law, or village solicitor shall not bring the action for imposition of a civil penalty in connection with the violation named in the request.

(3) All civil penalties received under division (C) of this section pursuant to actions brought under division (C)(1) of this section shall be credited to the immediate removal fund created in section 3745.12 of the Revised Code. All civil penalties received under division (C) of this section pursuant to actions brought under division (C)(2) of this section shall be credited to the general fund of the political subdivision whose legal officer brought the action for imposition of the civil penalty and shall be used exclusively to defray the costs to the political subdivision incurred under division (A) of section 3752.112 of the Revised Code and of enforcing this chapter and rules adopted and orders issued under it.

(D) Any action for injunction or civil penalties under division (A), (B), or (C) of this section is a civil action governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure.

Effective Date: 07-01-1996.