RCW 81.88.040 Violations—Rules—Penalties—Injunctive relief.

(1) A person, officer, agent, or employee of a pipeline company who, as an individual or acting as an officer, agent, or employee of such a company, violates or fails to comply with this chapter or a rule adopted under RCW 81.88.060 or 81.88.065, or who procures, aids, or abets another person or entity in the violation of or noncompliance with this chapter or a rule adopted under RCW 81.88.060 or 81.88.065, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

(2)(a) A pipeline company, or any person, officer, agent, or employee of a pipeline company that violates a provision of this chapter, or a rule adopted under RCW 81.88.060 or 81.88.065, is subject to a civil penalty to be assessed by the commission.

(b) The commission shall adopt rules: (i) Setting penalty amounts, but may not exceed the penalties specified in the federal pipeline safety laws, 49 U.S.C. Sec. 60101 et seq.; and (ii) establishing procedures for mitigating penalties assessed.

(c) In determining the amount of the penalty in a particular instance, the commission shall consider: (i) The appropriateness of the penalty in relation to the position of the person charged with the violation; (ii) the gravity of the violation; and (iii) the good faith of the person or company charged in attempting to achieve compliance after notification of the violation.

(d) The amount of the penalty may be recovered in a civil action in the superior court of Thurston county or of some other county in which the violator may do business. In all actions for recovery, the rules of evidence shall be the same as in ordinary civil actions. All penalties recovered under this section must be paid into the state treasury and credited to the pipeline safety account.

(3) The commission shall adopt rules incorporating by reference other substances designated as hazardous by the secretary of transportation under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 60101(a)(4).

(4) The commission may seek injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(5) Nothing in this section duplicates the authority of the energy facility site evaluation council under chapter 80.50 RCW.

[ 2007 c 142 § 2; 2000 c 191 § 3; 1998 c 123 § 1.]