CA Health & Safety Code Section 25299.78

(a)

To carry out the purposes of this chapter, any authorized representative of the local agency, regional board, or board shall have the authority specified in Section 25185, with respect to any place where underground storage tanks are located, and in Section 25185.5, with respect to any real property which is within 2,000 feet of any place where underground storage tanks are located.

(b)

An owner or operator shall furnish, under penalty of perjury, any information on fees imposed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40), financial responsibility, unauthorized releases, or corrective action as the local agency, regional board, or board may require.

(c)

A person who fails or refuses to furnish information under subdivision (b) or furnishes false information to the fund is subject, in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (d), to civil liability of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation of this subdivision.

(d)

(1)Except as provided in subdivision (2), a claimant shall not be liable under subdivision (c) unless one of the following is established by the court, if the action is brought pursuant to subdivision (e), or the executive director, if the action is brought pursuant to subdivision (f):

(A)

The alleged violation is knowing, willful, or intentional.

(B)

The claimant received a material economic benefit from the action which caused the alleged violation.

(C)

The alleged violation is chronic or that the claimant is a recalcitrant violator, as determined pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 13399 of the Water Code.

(2)

If a claimant is in violation of subdivision (c), but does not meet any of the conditions specified in paragraph (1), the claimant may be held liable only if the board or an authorized representative of the board issues a notice to comply pursuant to Chapter 5.8 (commencing with Section 13399) of Division 7 of the Water Code before an action is taken pursuant to subdivision (e) or (f).

(e)

The Attorney General, upon request of the board, shall bring an action in superior court to impose the civil liability specified in subdivision (c).

(f)

The executive director of the board may impose the civil liability specified in subdivision (c) administratively in the same manner as the executive director of the board is authorized to impose civil liability pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 13323) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of the Water Code.

(g)

In determining the amount of any civil liability imposed under this section, the executive director of the board, or the court, as the case may be, shall take into account the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the false statement or refusal or failure to furnish information, the person’s ability to pay, any prior history by the person of misrepresentations to or noncooperation with the board or local agency, any economic benefits or savings that resulted or would have resulted from the false statement or refusal or failure to furnish information, and other matters as justice may require.

(h)

Remedies under this section are in addition to, and do not supersede or limit, any other civil, administrative, or criminal remedies.

(i)

All funds collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the fund.