2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 114C - 116I — Environmental Protection › Chapter 116 — Pollution Control Agency › Section 116.073 — Field Citations.

116.073 FIELD CITATIONS.
Subdivision 1.
Authority to issue.
(a) Pollution Control Agency staff designated by the commissioner and Department of Natural Resources conservation officers may issue citations to a person who:
(1) disposes of solid waste as defined in section 116.06, subdivision 22, at a location not authorized by law for the disposal of solid waste without permission of the owner of the property;
(2) fails to report or recover discharges as required under section 115.061;
(3) fails to take discharge preventive or preparedness measures required under chapter 115E;
(4) fails to install or use vapor recovery equipment during the transfer of gasoline from a transport delivery vehicle to an underground storage tank as required in section 116.49, subdivisions 3 and 4;
(5) performs labor or services designing, installing, constructing, inspecting, servicing, repairing, or operating a subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) as defined in chapter 115 and has violated rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 in any of the following categories:
(i) failure to acquire or maintain a current state-issued SSTS license;
(ii) failure to acquire or maintain a current surety bond for SSTS activities;
(iii) failure to acquire or maintain a required local permit for SSTS activities; or
(iv) failure to submit SSTS as-built plans or compliance inspection forms to the local governmental unit; or
(6) performs labor or services pumping, hauling, treating, spreading, dumping, discharging, or land applying septage as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 7080.1100, subpart 69, and has violated rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503, in any of the following categories:
(i) failure to acquire or maintain a current state-issued SSTS license;
(ii) failure to acquire or maintain a current surety bond for SSTS activities;
(iii) failure to provide control measures to prevent the pollution of underground waters from the discharge of septage into the saturated or unsaturated zone;
(iv) failure to produce records or maintain records in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503; or
(v) failure to treat septage for pathogens and vectors in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503.
(b) In addition, Pollution Control Agency staff designated by the commissioner may issue citations to owners and operators of facilities who violate sections 116.46 to 116.50 and Minnesota Rules, chapters 7150 and 7151 and parts 7001.4200 to 7001.4300. A citation issued under this subdivision must include a requirement that the person cited remove and properly dispose of or otherwise manage the waste or discharged oil or hazardous substance, reimburse any government agency that has disposed of the waste or discharged oil or hazardous substance and contaminated debris for the reasonable costs of disposal, or correct any storage tank violations.
(c) Citations for violations of sections 115E.045 and 116.46 to 116.50 and Minnesota Rules, chapters 7150 and 7151, may be issued only after the owners and operators have had a 60-day period to correct violations stated in writing by Pollution Control Agency staff, unless there is a discharge associated with the violation or the violation is a repeat violation from a previous inspection.
Subd. 2.
Penalty amount.
The citation must impose the following penalty amounts:
(1) $100 per major appliance, as defined in section 115A.03, subdivision 17a, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(2) $25 per waste tire, as defined in section 115A.90, subdivision 11, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(3) $25 per lead acid battery governed by section 115A.915, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(4) $1 per pound of other solid waste or $20 per cubic foot up to a maximum of $2,000;
(5) up to $200 for any amount of waste that escapes from a vehicle used for the transportation of solid waste if, after receiving actual notice that waste has escaped the vehicle, the person or company transporting the waste fails to immediately collect the waste;
(6) $50 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground storage tank system design, construction, installation, and notification requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(7) $500 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to upgrading of existing underground storage tank systems, up to a maximum of $2,000 per tank system;
(8) $250 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground storage tank system general operating requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(9) $250 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground storage tank system release detection requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(10) $50 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to out-of-service underground storage tank systems and closure, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(11) $50 per violation of sections 116.48 to 116.491 relating to underground storage tank system notification, monitoring, environmental protection, and tank installers training and certification requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(12) $25 per gallon of oil or hazardous substance discharged which is not reported or recovered under section 115.061, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(13) $1 per gallon of oil or hazardous substance being stored, transported, or otherwise handled without the prevention or preparedness measures required under chapter 115E, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(14) $250 per violation of Minnesota Rules, parts 7001.4200 to 7001.4300 or chapter 7151, related to aboveground storage tank systems, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(15) $250 per delivery made in violation of section 116.49, subdivision 3 or 4, levied against:
(i) the retail location if vapor recovery equipment is not installed or maintained properly;
(ii) the carrier if the transport delivery vehicle is not equipped with vapor recovery equipment; or
(iii) the driver for failure to use supplied vapor recovery equipment;
(16) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure to comply with state subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) license requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(17) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure to comply with SSTS surety bond requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(18) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure to provide control measures to prevent the pollution of underground waters from the discharge of septage into the saturated or unsaturated zone, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(19) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to treat septage for pathogens and vectors, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(20) $250 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to produce records or maintain records, up to a maximum of $2,000;
(21) $250 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to submit as-built plans or compliance inspection forms to the local governmental unit, up to a maximum of $2,000; and
(22) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure to obtain required local permits, up to a maximum of $2,000.
Subd. 3.
Appeals.
Citations may be appealed under the procedures in section 116.072, subdivision 6, if the person requests a hearing by notifying the commissioner in writing within 15 days after receipt of the citation. If a hearing is not requested within the 15-day period, the citation becomes a final order not subject to further review.
Subd. 4.
Enforcing field citations.
Field citations may be enforced under section 116.072, subdivisions 9 and 10.
Subd. 5.
Cumulative remedy.
The authority to issue field citations is in addition to other remedies available under statutory or common law, except that the state may not seek penalties under any other provision of law for the incident subject to the citation.
History:
1994 c 585 s 33; 1998 c 379 s 3,4; 1999 c 231 s 148,149; 2000 c 488 art 3 s 28; 2003 c 128 art 1 s 138,139; 2004 c 169 s 2,3; 2014 c 237 s 10,11