Except where permitted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 13200) of Division 7 of the Water Code, any person that intentionally or negligently causes or permits any oil to be deposited in the water of this state, including but not limited to navigable waters, shall be liable civilly in an amount not exceeding six thousand dollars ($6,000) and, in addition, shall be liable to any governmental agency charged with the responsibility for cleaning up or abating any such oil for all actual damages, in addition to the reasonable costs actually incurred in abating or cleaning up the oil deposit in such waters. The amount of the civil penalty which is assessed pursuant to this section shall be based upon the amount of discharge and the likelihood of permanent injury and shall be recoverable in a civil action by, and paid to, such governmental agency. If more than one such agency has responsibility for the waters in question, the agency which conducts the cleaning or abating activities shall be the agency authorized to proceed under this section.
Chapter 4Civil Offenses
Section § 151
If someone intentionally or carelessly causes oil to get into California waters, they can be fined up to $6,000 and will have to pay for any cleanup costs and damages.
The fine amount depends on how much oil was spilled and how likely it is to cause permanent harm.
The money from fines goes to the government agency responsible for the cleanup. If multiple agencies are involved, the one that actually does the cleanup gets the payment and has the right to enforce this law.
oil spill liability water pollution cleanup costs civil penalty government agency environmental damages navigable waters oil discharge pollution negligence water contamination permanent injury environmental responsibility civil action spill abatement environmental cleanup
Section § 153
This law states that any money recovered from lawsuits, including settlements and penalties, led by the Attorney General to enforce this chapter, must go into a special account. This account is called the Fish and Wildlife Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account, part of the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. Basically, any money from these cases is used to help clean up and prevent pollution affecting fish and wildlife.
Any recovery or settlement of money damages, including, but not limited to, civil penalties, arising out of any civil action filed and maintained by the Attorney General in the enforcement of this chapter shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund established pursuant to Section 12017 of the Fish and Game Code.
Attorney General enforcement civil penalties lawsuit settlements environmental protection Fish and Wildlife Pollution Cleanup Abatement Account Fish and Game Preservation Fund pollution control wildlife conservation California fish and wildlife environmental damages civil action recovery fund allocation pollution damages recovery wildlife protection funding
