(A) The attorney general or the prosecuting attorney of the county or director of law of the city where a violation has occurred or is occurring, upon written request of the director of environmental protection, shall prosecute to termination any person who has violated division (D) of section 3753.03 of the Revised Code or shall bring an action for injunction against any person who has violated or is violating section 3753.06 of the Revised Code. The court of common pleas in which an action for injunction is filed has the 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 section 3753.06 of the Revised Code. The court shall give precedence to such an action over all other cases.

(B) Whoever violates section 3753.06 of the Revised Code shall pay a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each day of each violation. The attorney general or the prosecuting attorney of the county or director of law of the city where a violation of that section has occurred or is occurring, upon written request of the director, shall bring an action for the imposition of a civil penalty under this division against any person who has committed or is committing any such violation. Moneys resulting from civil penalties imposed under this division shall be credited to the risk management plan reporting fund created in section 3753.05 of the Revised Code.

(C) Upon the certified written request of any person, the director shall conduct investigations and make inquiries that are necessary to secure compliance with this chapter or rules adopted or orders issued under it. The director, upon request or upon the director's own initiative, may investigate or make inquiries into any violation of this chapter or rules adopted or orders issued under it.

Effective Date: 09-30-1998.