Effective 28 Aug 2005

644.076. Unlawful acts prohibited — false statements and negligent acts prohibited — penalties — exception. — 1. It is unlawful for any person to cause or permit any discharge of water contaminants from any water contaminant or point source located in Missouri in violation of sections 644.006 to 644.141, or any standard, rule or regulation promulgated by the commission. In the event the commission or the director determines that any provision of sections 644.006 to 644.141 or standard, rules, limitations or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, or permits issued by, or any final abatement order, other order, or determination made by the commission or the director, or any filing requirement pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 or any other provision which this state is required to enforce pursuant to any federal water pollution control act, is being, was, or is in imminent danger of being violated, the commission or director may cause to have instituted a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction for the injunctive relief to prevent any such violation or further violation or for the assessment of a penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars per day for each day, or part thereof, the violation occurred and continues to occur, or both, as the court deems proper. A civil monetary penalty pursuant to this section shall not be assessed for a violation where an administrative penalty was assessed pursuant to section 644.079. The commission, the chair of a watershed district's board of trustees created under section 249.1150, or the director may request either the attorney general or a prosecuting attorney to bring any action authorized in this section in the name of the people of the state of Missouri. Suit may be brought in any county where the defendant's principal place of business is located or where the water contaminant or point source is located or was located at the time the violation occurred. Any offer of settlement to resolve a civil penalty pursuant to this section shall be in writing, shall state that an action for imposition of a civil penalty may be initiated by the attorney general or a prosecuting attorney representing the department pursuant to this section, and shall identify any dollar amount as an offer of settlement which shall be negotiated in good faith through conference, conciliation and persuasion.

2. Any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 or who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both.

3. Any person who willfully or negligently commits any violation set forth pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than two thousand five hundred dollars nor more than twenty-five thousand dollars per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Second and successive convictions for violation of the same provision of this section by any person shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both.

4. The liabilities which shall be imposed pursuant to any provision of sections 644.006 to 644.141 upon persons violating the provisions of sections 644.006 to 644.141 or any standard, rule, limitation, or regulation adopted pursuant thereto shall not be imposed due to any violation caused by an act of God, war, strike, riot, or other catastrophe.

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(L. 1972 S.B. 424, A.L. 1973 S.B. 259, S.B. 321, A.L. 1993 S.B. 80, et al., A.L. 2000 S.B. 741, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1433, A.L. 2005 H.B. 58 merged with H.B. 617)

(1978) Held, discharging water with a low oxygen level does not constitute either "pollution" or "contamination" since both require the addition of contaminants or pollutants. State ex rel. Ashcroft v. Union Electric Co. (A.), 559 S.W.2d 216.