§ 23-19.14-16. Penalties for noncompliance. (a) Any responsible party who fails, without sufficient cause, to properly provide for removal or remedial action pursuant to a final order of the director of the department of environmental management may be liable to the state for punitive damages in an amount at least equal to, and not more than, three (3) times the amount of any costs incurred by the state as a result of the failure to take proper action, in addition to liability for any response costs incurred by the state as a result of the failure to take action. The state is authorized to commence a civil action against any person who fails to take proper action to recover the punitive damages, which shall be in addition to any costs recovered from that person.

(b) Any money received by the state pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the environmental response fund established pursuant to chapter 19.1 of this title.

(c)(1) In addition to being liable for punitive damages and response costs as set forth in subsection (a) above, any responsible party or person who fails to assess, to properly assess, to remediate, to properly remediate, to take any other action that may be required by the director pursuant to this chapter, or to comply with any provision of this chapter, or any rule, regulation or order issued pursuant to this chapter shall also be subject to a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). In a case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance of the violation shall be a separate and distinct offense.

(2) All penalties assessed pursuant to this subsection shall be assessed in accordance with chapter 42-17.6 and the rules and regulations of the department for the assessment of administrative penalties.

History of Section. (P.L. 1995, ch. 187, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 64, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 66, § 1.)