1-40-27. Rejection of applications for certain environmental protection, mining, oil, and gas permits. The secretary may reject an application for any permit filed pursuant to Title 34A or 45, including any application by any concentrated swine feeding operation for authorization to operate under a general permit, upon making a specific finding that:

(1) The applicant is unsuited or unqualified to perform the obligations of a permit holder based upon a finding that the applicant, any officer, director, partner, or resident general manager of the facility for which application has been made:

(a) Has intentionally misrepresented a material fact in applying for a permit;

(b) Has been convicted of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude;

(c) Has habitually and intentionally violated environmental laws of any state or the United States which have caused significant and material environmental damage;

(d) Has had any permit revoked under the environmental laws of any state or the United States; or

(e) Has otherwise demonstrated through clear and convincing evidence of previous actions that the applicant lacks the necessary good character and competency to reliably carry out the obligations imposed by law upon the permit holder; or

(2) The application substantially duplicates an application by the same applicant denied within the past five years which denial has not been reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this subdivision may be construed to prohibit an applicant from submitting a new application for a permit previously denied, if the new application represents a good faith attempt by the applicant to correct the deficiencies that served as the basis for the denial in the original application.

All applications filed pursuant to Titles 34A and 45 shall include a certification, sworn to under oath and signed by the applicant, that he is not disqualified by reason of this section from obtaining a permit. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, that certification shall constitute a prima facie showing of the suitability and qualification of the applicant. If at any point in the application review, recommendation or hearing process, the secretary finds the applicant has intentionally made any material misrepresentation of fact in regard to this certification, consideration of the application may be suspended and the application may be rejected as provided for under this section.

Applications rejected pursuant to this section constitute final agency action upon that application and may be appealed to circuit court as provided for under chapter 1-26.

Source: SL 1991, ch 288, § 1; SL 1993, ch 257, § 3; SL 1997, ch 15, § 1.