First Substitute S.B. 64

Senator Luz Robles proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
AIR QUALITY RULES AND PENALTIES

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Robles

             5     
House Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the rulemaking authority of the Division of Air Quality, modifies
             10      regulations regarding the incineration of medical waste, and extends the statute of
             11      limitations for violations of the Environmental Quality Code.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    repeals provisions prohibiting the Air Quality Board from making rules that are
             15      more stringent than federal regulations;
             16          .    increases civil penalties against a person who violates the Air Conservation Act;
             17          .    beginning January 1, 2015, prohibits the incineration of medical waste within a
             18      five-mile radius of a residential area;
             19          .    states that the statute of limitations for a violation of the Environmental Quality
             20      Code is five years; and
             21          .    makes technical changes.
             22      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             23          None
             24      Other Special Clauses:
             25          None


             26      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             27      AMENDS:
             28           19-2-115 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 360
             29           19-6-122 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 1991, Chapter 112
             30           78B-2-302 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 89
             31      ENACTS:
             32           78B-2-307.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33      REPEALS:
             34           19-2-106 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 1991, Chapter 112
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 19-2-115 is amended to read:
             38           19-2-115. Violations -- Penalties -- Reimbursement for expenses.
             39          (1) As used in this section, the terms "knowingly," "willfully," and "criminal
             40      negligence" shall mean as defined in Section 76-2-103 .
             41          (2) (a) A person who violates this chapter, or any rule, order, or permit issued or made
             42      under this chapter is subject in a civil proceeding to a penalty not to exceed [$10,000] $37,000
             43      per day for each violation.
             44          (b) Subsection (2)(a) also applies to rules made under the authority of Section
             45      19-2-104 , for implementation of 15 U.S.C.A. 2601 et seq., Toxic Substances Control Act,
             46      Subchapter II - Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response.
             47          (c) Penalties assessed for violations described in 15 U.S.C.A. 2647, Toxic Substances
             48      Control Act, Subchapter II - Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response, may not exceed the
             49      amounts specified in that section and shall be used in accordance with that section.
             50          (3) A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor and is subject to imprisonment under
             51      Section 76-3-204 and a fine of not more than [$25,000] $45,000 per day of violation if that
             52      person knowingly violates any of the following under this chapter:
             53          (a) an applicable standard or limitation;
             54          (b) a permit condition; or
             55          (c) a fee or filing requirement.
             56          (4) A person is guilty of a third degree felony and is subject to imprisonment under


             57      Section 76-3-203 and a fine of not more than [$25,000] $45,000 per day of violation who
             58      knowingly:
             59          (a) makes any false material statement, representation, or certification, in any notice or
             60      report required by permit; or
             61          (b) renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained by
             62      this chapter or applicable rules made under this chapter.
             63          (5) Any fine or penalty assessed under Subsections (2) or (3) is in lieu of any penalty
             64      under Section 19-2-109.1 .
             65          (6) A person who willfully violates Section 19-2-120 is guilty of a class A
             66      misdemeanor.
             67          (7) A person who knowingly violates any requirement of an applicable implementation
             68      plan adopted by the board, more than 30 days after having been notified in writing by the
             69      director that the person is violating the requirement, knowingly violates an order issued under
             70      Subsection 19-2-110 (1), or knowingly handles or disposes of asbestos in violation of a rule
             71      made under this chapter is guilty of a third degree felony and subject to imprisonment under
             72      Section 76-3-203 and a fine of not more than [$25,000] $45,000 per day of violation in the case
             73      of the first offense, and not more than [$50,000] $75,000 per day of violation in the case of
             74      subsequent offenses.
             75          (8) (a) As used in this section:
             76          (i) "Hazardous air pollutant" means any hazardous air pollutant listed under 42 U.S.C.
             77      Sec. 7412 or any extremely hazardous substance listed under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11002(a)(2).
             78          (ii) "Organization" means a legal entity, other than a government, established or
             79      organized for any purpose, and includes a corporation, company, association, firm, partnership,
             80      joint stock company, foundation, institution, trust, society, union, or any other association of
             81      persons.
             82          (iii) "Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which involves a substantial risk of
             83      death, unconsciousness, extreme physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or
             84      protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty.
             85          (b) (i) A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor and subject to imprisonment under
             86      Section 76-3-204 and a fine of not more than [$25,000] $45,000 per day of violation if that
             87      person with criminal negligence:


             88          (A) releases into the ambient air any hazardous air pollutant; and
             89          (B) places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.
             90          (ii) As used in this Subsection (8)(b), "person" does not include an employee who is
             91      carrying out the employee's normal activities and who is not a part of senior management
             92      personnel or a corporate officer.
             93          (c) A person is guilty of a second degree felony and is subject to imprisonment under
             94      Section 76-3-203 and a fine of not more than [$50,000] $75,000 per day of violation if that
             95      person:
             96          (i) knowingly releases into the ambient air any hazardous air pollutant; and
             97          (ii) knows at the time that the person is placing another person in imminent danger of
             98      death or serious bodily injury.
             99          (d) If a person is an organization, it shall, upon conviction of violating Subsection
             100      (8)(c), be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000,000.
             101          (e) (i) A defendant who is an individual is considered to have acted knowingly under
             102      Subsections (8)(c) and (d), if:
             103          (A) the defendant's conduct placed another person in imminent danger of death or
             104      serious bodily injury; and
             105          (B) the defendant was aware of or believed that there was an imminent danger of death
             106      or serious bodily injury to another person.
             107          (ii) Knowledge possessed by a person other than the defendant may not be attributed to
             108      the defendant.
             109          (iii) Circumstantial evidence may be used to prove that the defendant possessed actual
             110      knowledge, including evidence that the defendant took affirmative steps to be shielded from
             111      receiving relevant information.
             112          (f) (i) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this Subsection (8) that the
             113      conduct charged was freely consented to by the person endangered and that the danger and
             114      conduct charged were reasonably foreseeable hazards of:
             115          (A) an occupation, a business, a profession; or
             116          (B) medical treatment or medical or scientific experimentation conducted by
             117      professionally approved methods and the other person was aware of the risks involved prior to
             118      giving consent.


             119          (ii) The defendant has the burden of proof to establish any affirmative defense under
             120      this Subsection (8)(f) and shall prove that defense by a preponderance of the evidence.
             121          (9) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (9)(b), and unless prohibited by federal law,
             122      all penalties assessed and collected under the authority of this section shall be deposited in the
             123      General Fund.
             124          (b) The department may reimburse itself and local governments from money collected
             125      from civil penalties for extraordinary expenses incurred in environmental enforcement
             126      activities.
             127          (c) The department shall regulate reimbursements by making rules in accordance with
             128      Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, that:
             129          (i) define qualifying environmental enforcement activities; and
             130          (ii) define qualifying extraordinary expenses.
             131          Section 2. Section 19-6-122 is amended to read:
             132           19-6-122. Facilities to meet local zoning requirements -- Restriction on
             133      incineration of medical waste.
             134          (1) Notwithstanding any provisions of this part, persons seeking to operate a
             135      commercial hazardous waste disposal facility or site shall meet all local zoning requirements
             136      before beginning operations.
             137          (2) Beginning on January 1, 2015, incineration of medical waste is prohibited within a
             138      five-mile radius of a residential area.
             139          Section 3. Section 78B-2-302 is amended to read:
             140           78B-2-302. Within one year.
             141          An action may be brought within one year:
             142          (1) for liability created by the statutes of a foreign state;
             143          (2) upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture where the action is given to an individual,
             144      or to an individual and the state, except when the statute imposing it prescribes a different
             145      limitation;
             146          (3) except as provided in Section 78B-2-307.5 , upon a statute, or upon an undertaking
             147      in a criminal action, for a forfeiture or penalty to the state;
             148          (4) for libel, slander, false imprisonment, or seduction;
             149          (5) against a sheriff or other officer for the escape of a prisoner arrested or imprisoned


             150      upon either civil or criminal process;
             151          (6) against a municipal corporation for damages or injuries to property caused by a
             152      mob or riot;
             153          (7) except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, against a county legislative body
             154      or a county executive to challenge a decision of the county legislative body or county
             155      executive, respectively; or
             156          (8) on a claim for relief or a cause of action under Title 63L, Chapter 5, Utah Religious
             157      Land Use Act.
             158          Section 4. Section 78B-2-307.5 is enacted to read:
             159          78B-2-307.5. Within five years.
             160          An action may be brought within five years upon a statute in Title 19, Environmental
             161      Quality Code, for a forfeiture or penalty to the state.
             162          Section 5. Repealer.
             163          This bill repeals:
             164          Section 19-2-106 , Rulemaking authority and procedure.


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