Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 1079 – Civil penalties
Any owner or operator who violates or fails or refuses to obey any special order, rule or regulation may be assessed a civil penalty by the State Forester. Such penalty shall not be less than $200 or more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day of a continuing violation may be deemed a separate violation for purposes of assessing penalties. The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of the offenses brought under this subchapter. In determining the amount of the penalty, consideration shall be given to the owner’s or operator’s history of noncompliance, the seriousness of the violation, including any irreparable harm to the environment and any hazards to the health or safety of the public, whether the owner or operator was negligent, and the demonstrated good faith of the owner or operator in reporting and remedying the pollution. A civil penalty may be assessed by the Superior Court only after the owner or operator has been given an opportunity for a hearing as specified in § 2981 of this title. Any person who intentionally, knowingly and after written notice to comply violates or refuses to comply with any notice issued pursuant to this chapter shall be fined not less than $500 or more than $5,000 for each offense. Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of offenses brought under this subchapter.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 1079
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Operator: shall mean any person that operates or exercises control over any silvicultural activity. See Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 1072
- Owner: shall mean any person that (a) owns or leases land on which silvicultural activity occurs or (b) owns timber on land which silvicultural activity occurs. See Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 1072
- Pollution: shall mean such alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of any waters of the State resulting from sediment deposition that will or is likely to create a nuisance or render such waters (a) harmful or detrimental or injurious to the public health, safety or welfare, or to the health of animals, fish or aquatic life; (b) unsuitable with reasonable treatment for use as a present or possible future source of public water supply; or (c) unsuitable for recreational, commercial, industrial, agricultural or other reasonable uses. See Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 1072
- State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302