I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6697 
To amend the citizen suit provisions in several statutes to impose an 
additional award to prevailing plaintiffs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 20, 2012 
Mr. KUCINICH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 
the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the citizen suit provisions in several statutes to 
impose an additional award to prevailing plaintiffs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘The Consumer Bounty 
Act’’. 
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plaintiff spent on the case. Multiple defendants are jointly 
and severally liable to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 6. AMENDMENT TO THE MARINE PROTECTION, RE-
SEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT OF 1972. 
Section 105(g) of the Marine Protection, Research, 
and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1415(g)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) In any civil action brought under this subsection 
in which the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevail in whole or in 
part, the court shall award the plaintiff or plaintiffs not 
less than $10,000, to be paid by the defendant or defend-
ants against whom the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevailed. 
Multiple plaintiffs shall split the award based on the time 
each plaintiff spent on the case. Multiple defendants are 
jointly and severally liable to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 7. AMENDMENT TO THE NOISE CONTROL ACT OF 1972. 
Section 12 of the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 
U.S.C. 4911) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) In any civil action brought under this section in 
which the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevail in whole or in part, 
the court shall award the plaintiff or plaintiffs not less 
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than $10,000, to be paid by the defendant or defendants 
against whom the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple 
plaintiffs shall split the award based on the time each 
plaintiff spent on the case. Multiple defendants are jointly 
and severally liable to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 8. AMENDMENT TO THE ENERGY POLICY AND CON-
SERVATION ACT. 
Section 335 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6305) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(g) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 9. AMENDMENT TO THE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ACT. 
Section 7002 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 
U.S.C. 6972) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(h) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
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tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 10. AMENDMENT TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT. 
Section 304 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7604) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 11. AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRON-
MENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LI-
ABILITY ACT OF 1980. 
Section 310 of the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 
U.S.C. 9659) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 
(j); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 12. AMENDMENT TO THE POWERPLANT AND INDUS-
TRIAL FUEL USE ACT OF 1978. 
Section 725 of the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel 
Use Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 8435) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
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Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 13. AMENDMENT TO THE EMERGENCY PLANNING AND 
COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT OF 1986. 
Section 326(a)(1) of the Emergency Planning and 
Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 
11046(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(E) In any civil action brought under this 
paragraph in which the plaintiff or plaintiffs 
prevail in whole or in part, the court shall 
award the plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than 
$10,000, to be paid by the defendant or defend-
ants against whom the plaintiff or plaintiffs 
prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on 
the case. Multiple defendants are jointly and 
severally liable to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 14. AMENDMENT TO THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
LANDS ACT. 
Section 23(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1349(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(7) In any civil action brought under this section 
in which the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevail in whole or in 
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part, the court shall award the plaintiff or plaintiffs not 
less than $10,000, to be paid by the defendant or defend-
ants against whom the plaintiff or plaintiffs prevailed. 
Multiple plaintiffs shall split the award based on the time 
each plaintiff spent on the case. Multiple defendants are 
jointly and severally liable to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
SEC. 15. PIPELINE SAFETY AMENDMENT. 
Section 60121 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) CONSUMER
BOUNTY.—In any civil action 
brought under this section in which the plaintiff or plain-
tiffs prevail in whole or in part, the court shall award the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs not less than $10,000, to be paid 
by the defendant or defendants against whom the plaintiff 
or plaintiffs prevailed. Multiple plaintiffs shall split the 
award based on the time each plaintiff spent on the case. 
Multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable to the 
plaintiff or plaintiffs.’’. 
Æ 
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