2023 Texas Statutes › Water Code › Title 2 - Water Administration › Subtitle A - Executive Agencies › Chapter 7 - Enforcement › Subchapter E. Criminal Offenses and Penalties › Section 7.163. Violations Relating to Hazardous Waste and Endangerment

Sec. 7.163.  VIOLATIONS RELATING TO HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ENDANGERMENT.  (a)  A person commits an offense if:
(1)  acting intentionally or knowingly, the person transports, processes, stores, exports, or disposes of, or causes to be transported, processed, stored, exported, or disposed of, hazardous waste in violation of Chapter 361, Health and Safety Code, and by that action knowingly places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury;
(2)  acting intentionally or knowingly with respect to the person's conduct, transports, processes, stores, exports, or disposes of, or causes to be transported, processed, stored, exported, or disposed of, hazardous waste in violation of Chapter 361, Health and Safety Code, and by that action places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, unless the conduct charged is done in strict compliance with all required permits or with an order issued or a rule adopted by the appropriate regulatory agency;
(3)  acting intentionally or knowingly with respect to the person's conduct, releases or causes or allows the release of a hazardous waste into the environment and by that action places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, unless the release is made in strict compliance with all required permits or an order issued or a rule adopted by the appropriate regulatory agency;  or
(4)  acting recklessly with respect to the person's conduct, releases or causes or allows the release of a hazardous waste into the environment and by that action places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, unless the release is made in strict compliance with all required permits or an order issued or a rule adopted by the appropriate regulatory agency.
(b)  An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is punishable for an individual under Section 7.187(1)(E) or Section 7.187(2)(H) or both.  An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is punishable for a person other than an individual under Section 7.187(1)(F).  If an offense committed by an individual under Subsection (a)(1) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the individual may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(F) or Section 7.187(2)(J) or both.  If an offense committed by a person other than an individual under Subsection (a)(1) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the person may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(G).  For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), in determining whether a defendant who is an individual knew that the violation placed another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, the defendant is responsible only for the defendant's actual awareness or actual belief possessed.  Knowledge possessed by a person other than the defendant may not be attributed to the defendant.  To prove a defendant's actual knowledge, circumstantial evidence may be used, including evidence that the defendant took affirmative steps to be shielded from relevant information.
(c)  An offense under Subsection (a)(2) is punishable for an individual under Section 7.187(1)(D) or Section 7.187(2)(F) or both.  An offense under Subsection (a)(2) is punishable for a person other than an individual under Section 7.187(1)(E).  If an offense committed under Subsection (a)(2) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, an individual may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(E) or Section 7.187(2)(G) or both.  If an offense committed by a person other than an individual under Subsection (a)(2) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the person may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(F).
(d)  An offense under Subsection (a)(3) is punishable for an individual under Section 7.187(1)(D) or Section 7.187(2)(F) or both.  An offense under Subsection (a)(3) is punishable for a person other than an individual under Section 7.187(1)(E).  If an offense committed by an individual under Subsection (a)(3) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the individual may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(E) or Section 7.187(2)(G) or both.  If an offense committed by a person other than an individual under Subsection (a)(3) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the person may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(F).
(e)  An offense under Subsection (a)(4) is punishable for an individual under Section 7.187(1)(C) or Section 7.187(2)(D) or both.  An offense under Subsection (a)(4) is punishable for a person other than an individual under Section 7.187(1)(E).  If an offense committed by an individual under Subsection (a)(4) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the individual may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(E) or Section 7.187(2)(E) or both.  If an offense committed by a person other than an individual under Subsection (a)(4) results in death or serious bodily injury to another person, the person may be punished under Section 7.187(1)(F).
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1072, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.