A. Injunctive Relief: When the Pretreatment Coordinator finds that a user has violated, or continues to violate, any provision of this chapter, an industrial wastewater discharge permit, or order issued hereunder, or any other pretreatment standard or requirement, the Pretreatment Coordinator may petition the Court through the City's Attorney for the issuance of a temporary or permanent injunction, as appropriate, which restrains or compels the specific performance of the industrial wastewater discharge permit or other requirement imposed by this chapter on activities of the user. The Pretreatment Coordinator may also seek such other action as is appropriate for legal and/or equitable relief, including a requirement for the user to conduct environmental remediation. A petition for injunctive relief shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against a user.
B. Civil Penalties:
1. A user who has violated, or continues to violate, any provision of this chapter, an industrial wastewater discharge permit, or order issued hereunder, or any other pretreatment standard or requirement shall be liable to the City for a maximum civil penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation, per day, or a maximum criminal penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per day, and/or six month imprisonment, per Idaho Code 50-302. In the case of a monthly or other long-term average discharge limit, penalties shall accrue for each day during the period of the violation.
2. The Pretreatment Coordinator may recover reasonable attorneys' fees, court costs, and other expenses associated with enforcement activities, including sampling and monitoring expenses, and the cost of any actual damages incurred by the City.
3. In determining the amount of civil liability, the Court shall take into account all relevant circumstances, including, but not limited to, the extent of harm caused by the violation, the magnitude and duration of the violation, any economic benefit gained through the user's violation, corrective actions by the user, the compliance history of the user, and any other factor as justice requires.
4. Filing a suit for civil penalties shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against a user.
C. Criminal Prosecution:
1. A user who willfully or negligently violates any provision of this chapter, an industrial wastewater discharge permit, or order issued hereunder, or any other pretreatment standard or requirement shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation, per day, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.
2. A user who willfully or negligently introduces any substance into the POTW which causes personal injury or property damage shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and be subject to a penalty of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation, per day, or be subject to imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both. This penalty shall be in addition to any other cause of action for personal injury or property damage available under State law.
3. A user who knowingly makes any false statements, representations, or certifications in any application, record, report, plan, or other documentation filed, or required to be maintained, pursuant to this chapter, industrial wastewater discharge permit, or order issued hereunder, or who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required under this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation, per day, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.
4. In the event of a second conviction, a user shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation, per day, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.
D. Remedies Nonexclusive: The remedies provided for in this chapter are not exclusive. The Pretreatment Coordinator may take any, all, or any combination of these actions against a noncompliant user. Enforcement of pretreatment violations will generally be in accordance with the City's enforcement response plan. However, the Pretreatment Coordinator may take other action against any user when the circumstances warrant. Further, the Pretreatment Coordinator is empowered to take more than one enforcement action against any noncompliant user. (Ord. 2021-620, 9-2-2021)