(A) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter, or any rule, regulation or order of the department, shall also be subject to a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each act of violation and for each day that such violation continues.
(B) Any person who negligently or willfully permits an oil or gas well to go wild or to get out of control, to cause pollution or waste, or to create other conditions that are detrimental to the property rights of others or the public shall be liable to the department for the expense incurred in correcting the detrimental conditions and the civil penalties imposed by Section 48-43-820A and the department is hereby authorized to take whatever action it deems necessary, including operation of the well, to correct the detrimental conditions and charge the owner or producer, or both, of the well for the expenses incurred.
(C) The penalties and liabilities provided in this section shall be recoverable by civil suit filed by the Attorney General in the name and on behalf of the department in the court of common pleas of the county in which the defendant resides or in which any defendant resides, if there be more than one defendant, or in the court of common pleas of any county in which the violation occurred. The payment of any such penalty shall not operate to legalize any illegal oil, illegal gas or illegal product involved in the violation for which the penalty is imposed or relieve a person on whom the penalty is imposed from liability to any other person for damages arising out of such violation.
(D) In addition to any civil and criminal penalties imposed by this chapter, any person who violates any provisions of this chapter, or rules, regulations and orders of the department, shall be liable to all third parties who may incur damage or injury because of such violations.
HISTORY: 1977 Act No. 179, Part 1, Section 14; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1236.