(1) Any person or any agency of the state or federal government may apply to the division to investigate and take action upon any suspected or alleged violation of any provision of this article or of any order, permit, or regulation issued or promulgated under authority of this article.
Any person engaged in any operation or activity which results in a spill or dischargeof oil or other substance which may cause pollution of the waters of the state contrary to the provisions of this article, as soon as he has knowledge thereof, shall notify the division of such discharge. Any person who fails to notify the division as soon as practicable is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Notification received pursuant to this subsection (2) or information obtained by the exploitation of such notification shall not be used against any such person in a criminal case except prosecution for perjury, for false swearing, or for failure to comply with a clean-up order issued pursuant to section 25-8-606.
Any penalty collected under this section shall be credited to the general fund.
Source: L. 81: Entire article R&RE, p. 1332, § 1, effective July 1. L. 83: (3) amended, p. 1080, § 4, effective July 1.