§7413. Federal enforcement
42 U.S.C. § 7413
- 42 U.S.C. § 7411(a)(8)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7411(d)(2)(B)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7411(j)(1)(B)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7411(j)(2)(B)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(6)(O)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(7)(E)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(7)(H)(v)(II)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(9)(C)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7419(f)(1)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7420(a)(2)(B)(iv)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7425(f)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7429(f)(4)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7607(a)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7627(a)(1)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7651g(h)(3)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7651j(e)
- 42 U.S.C. § 7675(k)(1)(C)
- 42 U.S.C. § 9606(c)
Nothing in this subsection shall preclude the United States from commencing a criminal action under subsection (c) at any time for any such violation.
Any action under this subsection may be brought in the district court of the United States for the district in which the violation is alleged to have occurred, or is occurring, or in which the defendant resides, or where the defendant’s principal place of business is located, and such court shall have jurisdiction to restrain such violation, to require compliance, to assess such civil penalty, to collect any fees owed the United States under this chapter (other than subchapter II) and any noncompliance assessment and nonpayment penalty owed under section 7420 of this title, and to award any other appropriate relief. Notice of the commencement of such action shall be given to the appropriate State air pollution control agency. In the case of any action brought by the Administrator under this subsection, the court may award costs of litigation (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) to the party or parties against whom such action was brought if the court finds that such action was unreasonable.
shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine pursuant to title 18 or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both. If a conviction of any person under this paragraph is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this paragraph, the maximum punishment shall be doubled with respect to both the fine and imprisonment.
except that in proving a defendant’s possession of actual knowledge, circumstantial evidence may be used, including evidence that the defendant took affirmative steps to be shielded from relevant information.
The defendant may establish an affirmative defense under this subparagraph by a preponderance of the evidence.
The Administrator’s authority under this paragraph shall be limited to matters where the total penalty sought does not exceed $200,000 and the first alleged date of violation occurred no more than 12 months prior to the initiation of the administrative action, except where the Administrator and the Attorney General jointly determine that a matter involving a larger penalty amount or longer period of violation is appropriate for administrative penalty action. Any such determination by the Administrator and the Attorney General shall not be subject to judicial review.
the Administrator shall request the Attorney General to bring a civil action in an appropriate district court to enforce the order or to recover the amount ordered or assessed (plus interest at rates established pursuant to section 6621(a)(2) of title 26 from the date of the final order or decision or the date of the final judgment, as the case may be). In such an action, the validity, amount, and appropriateness of such order or assessment shall not be subject to review. Any person who fails to pay on a timely basis a civil penalty ordered or assessed under this section shall be required to pay, in addition to such penalty and interest, the United States enforcement expenses, including but not limited to attorneys fees and costs incurred by the United States for collection proceedings and a quarterly nonpayment penalty for each quarter during which such failure to pay persists. Such nonpayment penalty shall be 10 percent of the aggregate amount of such person’s outstanding penalties and nonpayment penalties accrued as of the beginning of such quarter.
Footnotes
Notes, amendments, and revision history
(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, § 113, as added Pub. L. 91–604, § 4(a), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1686; amended Pub. L. 92–157, title III, § 302(b), (c), Nov. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 464; Pub. L. 93–319, § 6(a)(1)–(3), June 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 259; Pub. L. 95–95, title I, §§ 111, 112(a), Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 704, 705; Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(10)–(21), (b)(1), Nov. 16, 1977, 91 Stat. 1400, 1404; Pub. L. 97–23, § 2, July 17, 1981, 95 Stat. 139; Pub. L. 101–549, title VII, § 701, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2672.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 1857c–8 of this title.
Amendments
1990—Pub. L. 101–549 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions which related to: in subsec. (a), finding of violation, notice, compliance order, civil action, State failure to enforce plan, and construction or modification of major stationary sources; in subsec. (b), violations by owners or operators of major stationary sources; in subsec. (c), penalties; in subsec. (d), final compliance orders; and in subsec. (e), steel industry compliance extension.
1981—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 97–23 added subsec. (e).
1977—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 95–95, § 111(a), added par. (5).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–95, § 111(b), (c), substituted “shall, in the case of any person which is the owner or operator of a major stationary source, and may, in the case of any other person, commence a civil action for a permanent or temporary injunction, or to assess and recover a civil penalty of not more than $25,000 per day of violation, or both, whenever such person” for “may commence a civil action for appropriate relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, whenever any person” in provisions preceding par. (1), inserted references to subsec. (d)(5) of this section, sections 7419 and 7620 of this title, and regulations under part in par. (3), inserted reference to subsec. (d) of this section in par. (4), added par. (5), and, in provisions following par. (5), authorized the commencement of civil actions to recover noncompliance penalties and nonpayment penalties under section 7420 of this title, expanded jurisdictional provisions to authorize actions in districts in which the violation occurred and to authorize the district court to restrain violations, to require compliance, to assess civil penalties, and to collect penalties under section 7420 of this title, enumerated factors to be taken into consideration in determining the amount of civil penalties, and authorized awarding of costs to the party or parties against whom the action was brought in cases where the court finds that the action was unreasonable.
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(10), (11), inserted “or” after “ozone);”, and substituted “7624” for “7620”, “conversion), section” for “conversion) section”, and “orders), or” for “orders) or”.
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 95–95, § 111(d)(1), (2), substituted “any order issued under section 7419 of this title or under subsection (a) or (d) of this section” for “any order issued by the Administrator under subsection (a)” in subpar. (B), struck out reference to section 119(g) (as in effect before the date of the enactment of Pub. L. 95–95) in subpar. (C), and added subpar. (D).
Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(12), inserted “or” after “section,”.
Subsec. (c)(1)(D). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(13), substituted “1977 subsection” for “1977) subsection” and “penalties), or” for “penalties) or”.
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 95–95, § 111(d)(3), added par. (3).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–95, § 112(a), added subsec. (d).
Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(14), substituted “to any stationary source which is unable to comply with any requirement of an applicable implementation plan an order” for “an order for any stationary source” and “such requirement” for “any requirement of an applicable implementation plan”.
Subsec. (d)(1)(E). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(15), inserted provision relating to exemption under section 7420(a)(2)(B) or (C) of this title, provision relating to noncompliance penalties effective July 1, 1979, and reference to subsec. (b)(3) or (g) of section 7420 of this title.
Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(16), inserted provisions relating to determinations by the Administrator of compliance with requirements of this chapter of State orders issued under this subsection.
Subsec. (d)(4)(A). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(17), substituted “title) upon” for “title upon”.
Subsec. (d)(5)(A). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(18), substituted “an additional period for” for “an additional period of”.
Subsec. (d)(8). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(19), struck out reference to par. (3) of this subsection.
Subsec. (d)(10). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(20), substituted “in effect” for “issued”, “Federal” for “other”, and “and no action under” for “or”.
Subsec. (d)(11). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(21), substituted “and in effect” for “(and approved by the Administrator)”.
1974—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 93–319, § 6(a)(1), inserted reference to section 1857c–10(g) of this title (relating to energy-related authorities).
Subsecs. (b)(3), (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 93–319, § 6(a)(2), (3), inserted reference to section 1857c–10(g) of this title.
1971—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 92–157, § 302(b), inserted “(A)” before “during” and “, or (B)” after “assumed enforcement”.
Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 92–157, § 302(c), inserted “(i)” before “during” and “, or (ii)” after “assumed enforcement”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–95 effective Aug. 7, 1977, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as a note under section 7401 of this title.
Pending Actions and Proceedings
Suits, actions, and other proceedings lawfully commenced by or against the Administrator or any other officer or employee of the United States in his official capacity or in relation to the discharge of his official duties under act July 14, 1955, the Clean Air Act, as in effect immediately prior to the enactment of Pub. L. 95–95 [Aug. 7, 1977], not to abate by reason of the taking effect of Pub. L. 95–95, see section 406(a) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.
Modification or Rescission of Rules, Regulations, Orders, Determinations, Contracts, Certifications, Authorizations, Delegations, and Other Actions
All rules, regulations, orders, determinations, contracts, certifications, authorizations, delegations, or other actions duly issued, made, or taken by or pursuant to act July 14, 1955, the Clean Air Act, as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of Pub. L. 95–95 [Aug. 7, 1977] to continue in full force and effect until modified or rescinded in accordance with act July 14, 1955, as amended by Pub. L. 95–95 [this chapter], see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
The Federal Power Commission was terminated, and its functions, personnel, property, funds, etc., were transferred to the Secretary of Energy (except for certain functions which were transferred to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) by sections 7151(b), 7171(a), 7172(a), 7291, and 7293 of this title.