403.161 Prohibitions, violation, penalty, intent. - Florida Statutes

403.161 Prohibitions, violation, penalty, intent.

   (1) It shall be a violation of this chapter, and it shall be prohibited for any person:

   (a) To cause pollution, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant, or aquatic life or property.

   (b) To fail to obtain any permit required by this chapter or by rule or regulation, or to violate or fail to comply with any rule, regulation, order, permit, or certification adopted or issued by the department pursuant to its lawful authority.

   (c) To knowingly make any false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this chapter, or to falsify, tamper with, or knowingly render inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this chapter or by any permit, rule, regulation, or order issued under this chapter.

   (d) For any person who owns or operates a facility to fail to report to the representative of the department, as established by department rule, within one working day of discovery of a release of hazardous substances from the facility if the owner or operator is required to report the release to the United States Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with 42 U.S.C. s. 9603.

   (2) Whoever commits a violation specified in subsection (1) is liable to the state for any damage caused and for civil penalties as provided in s. 403.141.

   (3) Any person who willfully commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(a) is guilty of a felony of the third degree punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(3)(d) and 775.083(1)(g) by a fine of not more than $50,000 or by imprisonment for 5 years, or by both, for each offense. Each day during any portion of which such violation occurs constitutes a separate offense.

   (4) Any person who commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(a) due to reckless indifference or gross careless disregard is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(4)(b) and 775.083(1)(g) by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by 60 days in jail, or by both, for each offense.

   (5) Any person who willfully commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(4)(a) and 775.083(1)(g) by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by 6 months in jail, or by both for each offense.

   (6) It is the legislative intent that the civil penalties and criminal fines imposed by the court be of such amount as to ensure immediate and continued compliance with this section.

History. s. 17, ch. 67-436; ss. 26, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-356; s. 1, ch. 70-439; s. 4, ch. 72-286; s. 8, ch. 74-133; s. 139, ch. 77-104; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 21, ch. 88-393; s. 2, ch. 89-143; s. 8, ch. 89-324.