(1) It shall be a violation of this part, and it shall be prohibited for any person:
(a) To cause pollution, as defined in s. 403.031, except as otherwise provided in this part, so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant, or aquatic life or property.
(b) To fail to obtain any permit required by this part or by rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or to violate or fail to comply with any rule, regulation, order, or permit adopted or issued by a water management district, the department, or local government pursuant to their lawful authority under this part.
(c) To knowingly make any false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this part, or to falsify, tamper with, or knowingly render inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this part or by any permit, rule, regulation, or order issued under this part.
(2) A person who commits a violation specified in subsection (1) is liable for any damage caused and for civil penalties as provided in s. 373.129.
(3) A person who willfully commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(a) commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(3)(e) and 775.083(1)(g), by a fine of not more than $50,000 or by imprisonment for 5 years, or by both, for each offense. Each day during any portion of which such violation occurs constitutes a separate offense.
(4) A person who commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b) due to reckless indifference or gross careless disregard commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(4)(b) and 775.083(1)(g), by a fine of not more than $10,000 or 60 days in jail, or by both, for each offense.
(5) A person who willfully commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(b) or who commits a violation specified in paragraph (1)(c) commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082(4)(a) and 775.083(1)(g), by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by 6 months in jail, or by both, for each offense.
(6) It is the intent of the Legislature that the civil penalties imposed by the court be of such amount as to ensure immediate and continued compliance with this section.
(7) All moneys recovered under the provisions of this section shall be allocated to the use of the water management district, the department, or the local government, whichever undertook and maintained the enforcement action. All monetary penalties and damages recovered by the department or the state under the provisions of this section shall be deposited into the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund. All monetary penalties and damages recovered pursuant to this section by a water management district shall be retained and used exclusively within the territory of the water management district which collected the money. All monetary penalties and damages recovered pursuant to this subsection by a local government to which authority has been delegated pursuant to s. 373.103(8) shall be used to enhance surface water improvement or pollution control activities.
History.—s. 33, ch. 93-213; s. 40, ch. 96-321; s. 5, ch. 2014-220; s. 39, ch. 2015-229; s. 9, ch. 2020-158; s. 25, ch. 2023-169.
