Collapse to view only § 501.181 - Sanctions.

§ 501.180 - Investigations.

(a) General. Pursuant to section 711 of FUA, the DEOA, and in accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 205.201, OFE may initiate and conduct investigations relating to the scope, nature, and extent of compliance by any person with the rules, regulations, and orders issued by OFE under the authority of the Act, or any order or decree of court relating thereto, or any other agency action. When the circumstances warrant, OFE may issue subpoenas as provided in subpart D of this part. OFE may also conduct investigative conferences in conjunction with any investigation.

(b) Any duly authorized representative of OFE has the authority to conduct an investigation and to take such action as he deems necessary and appropriate to the conduct of the investigation.

(c) Notification. If any person is required to furnish information or documentary evidence pursuant to a subpoena or special report order, OFE will, upon written request, inform that person as to the general purposes of the investigation.

(d) Confidentiality. OFE shall not disclose any information received during an investigation under this section, including the identities of the person investigated and any other person who provides information, to the extent it is exempt from public disclosure pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 and 10 CFR part 1004.

§ 501.181 - Sanctions.

(a) General. (1) A violation of any provision of the Act (other than section 402 of FUA), or any rule or order thereunder shall be subject to the penalties and sanctions provided in subtitle C of title VII of FUA.

(2) Each day that any provision of the Act (other than section 402), or any rule or order thereunder is violated constitutes a separate violation within the meaning of the provisions of this section relating to civil penalties.

(b) Criminal penalties. Any person who willfully violates any provision of the Act (other than section 402), or any rule or order thereunder will be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000, or to imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, for each violation.

(c) Civil Penalties. (1) Any person who violates any provisions of the Act (other than section 402) or any rule in this subchapter or order under this subchapter or the Act will be subject to the following civil penalty, which may not exceed $114,630 for each violation: Any person who operates a powerplant or major fuel burning installation under an exemption, during any 12-calendar-month period, in excess of that authorized in such exemption will be assessed a civil penalty of up to $9 for each MCF of natural gas or up to $45 for each barrel of oil used in excess of that authorized in the exemption.

(2) OFE may compromise and settle, and collect civil penalties whenever it considers it to be appropriate or advisable.

(d) Corporate personnel. (1) If a director, officer, or agent of a corporation willfully authorizes, orders, or performs any act or practice constituting in whole or in part a violation of the Act, or any rule or order thereunder, he will be subject to the penalties specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section without regard to any penalties to which the corporation may be subject. He will not, however, be subject to imprisonment under paragraph (b) of this section unless he knew of noncompliance by the corporation, or had received from OFE notice of noncompliance by the corporation.

(2) Purposes of this paragraph:

(i) Agent includes any employee or other person acting on behalf of the corporation on either a temporary or permanent basis; and

(ii) Notice of noncompliance is a final Fuel Use Order issued under § 501.167 of this part.

[46 FR 59889, Dec. 7, 1981, as amended at 62 FR 46183, Sept. 2, 1997; 74 FR 66032, Dec. 14, 2009; 81 FR 41794, June 28, 2016; 81 FR 96352, Dec. 30, 2016; 83 FR 1292, Jan. 11, 2018; 83 FR 66083, Dec. 26, 2018; 85 FR 830, Jan. 8, 2020; 86 FR 2956, Jan. 14, 2021; 87 FR 1064, Jan. 10, 2022; 88 FR 2193, Jan. 13, 2023; 89 FR 1028, Jan. 9, 2024]

§ 501.182 - Injunctions.

Whenever it appears to OFE that any person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a violation of any provision of the Act, or any rule or order thereunder, OFE may, in accordance with section 724 of FUA, bring a civil action in the appropriate United States District Court to enjoin such acts or practices. The relief sought may include a mandatory injunction commanding any person to comply with any provision of such provision, order or rule, the violation of which is prohibited by section 724 of FUA and may also include interim equitable relief.

§ 501.183 - Citizen suits.

(a) General. A person who believes he is aggrieved by the failure of OFE to perform any nondiscretionary act of duty under the Act may file a Petition for Action for OFE to take such action as he may feel to be proper. This petition must be filed at the address provided in § 501.11. The petition must specify the action requested and set forth the facts and legal arguments that constitute the basis for the request. The filing of a Petition for Action will serve as notice to OFE under FUA section 725(b) for purposes of any citizens suit that may be subsequently filed.

(b) OFE decision. Within sixty (60) days of receiving the Petition for Action, OFE will notify the person giving notice under this section that it has instituted the action requested or that other described action is being taken, or that other described action is being taken, or that no action is being taken and the reasons therefor.