295.79 Enforcement; penalties.

(1) The department of justice shall enforce this subchapter and any order issued under this subchapter. The circuit court of the county where the violation occurred has jurisdiction to enforce this subchapter or any orders issued under this subchapter, by injunction or other appropriate relief.

(2)

(a) Any person who authorizes or engages in mining without a mining permit and written authorization to mine under s. 295.59 (3) shall forfeit all profits obtained from those illegal activities and not more than $5,000 for each day during which the mine was in operation.

(b) A person to whom par. (a) applies is also liable to the department for the full cost of reclaiming the affected area of land and any damages caused by the mining.

(c) If the violator of par. (a) is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or association, any officer, director, member, manager, or partner who knowingly authorizes, supervises, or contracts for mining is also subject to the penalties in this subsection.

(3) Any person who makes or causes to be made in an application or report required by this subchapter a statement known to the person to be false or misleading in any material respect or who refuses to submit information required by a mining permit or by this subchapter may be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000. If the false or misleading statement is material to the issuance of the mining permit and the mining permit would not have been issued had the false or misleading statement not been made, the court may revoke the mining permit. If any violation under this subsection is repeated the court may revoke the mining permit.

(4)

(a) Any person who commits a violation of this subchapter or any permit or order issued under this subchapter, except for the violations enumerated in subs. (2) and (3), shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $5,000 for each violation. Each day of continued violation is a separate offense, except that no forfeiture may be imposed during the time that continued mining is authorized under s. 295.63 (3). While an order is suspended, stayed, or enjoined, this penalty does not accrue.

(b) In addition to the penalties provided under par. (a), the court may award the department of justice the reasonable and necessary expenses of the investigation and prosecution of the violation, including attorney fees. The department of justice shall deposit in the state treasury for deposit into the general fund all moneys that the court awards to the department or the state under this paragraph. These moneys shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.455 (1) (gh).

(5) Any person having an interest that is or may be adversely affected may intervene as a matter of right, in any enforcement action brought under this section.

History: 2013 a. 1.