Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 2407

Civil penalties

(a)

Assessment of penalties

section 2403(a) of this titlesection 2406 of this titleAny person who is found by the Director, after notice and opportunity for a hearing in accordance with subsection (b), to have committed any act prohibited by or to have violated any regulation prescribed under shall be liable to the United States for a civil penalty. The amount of the civil penalty shall not exceed $5,000 for each violation unless the prohibited act was knowingly committed, in which case the amount of the civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000 for each violation. Each day of a continuing violation shall constitute a separate offense. The amount of any civil penalty shall be assessed by the Director by written notice. Any civil penalty assessed under this subsection may be remitted or mitigated by the Director.

(b)

Hearings

section 554 of title 5Hearings for the assessment of civil penalties under subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with . For the purposes of conducting any such hearing, the Director may issue subpenas for the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of relevant papers, books, and documents, and may administer oaths. Witnesses summoned shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid to witnesses in the courts of the United States. In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpena served upon any person pursuant to this subsection, the district court of the United States for any district in which such person is found, resides, or transacts business, upon application by the United States and after notice to such person, shall have jurisdiction to issue an order requiring such person to appear and give testimony before the Director or to appear and produce documents before the Director, or both, and any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof.

(c)

Review

Upon the failure of any person against whom a civil penalty is assessed under subsection (a) to pay such penalty, the Director may request the Attorney General to institute a civil action in a district court of the United States for any district in which such person is found, resides, or transacts business to collect the penalty and such court shall have jurisdiction to hear and decide any such action. The court shall hear such action on the record made before the Director and shall sustain the decision of the Director if it is supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole.

(d)

Penalties under other laws

16 U.S.C. 136116 U.S.C. 153116 U.S.C. 703The assessment of a civil penalty under subsection (a) for any act shall not be deemed to preclude the assessment of a civil penalty for such act under any other law, including, but not limited to, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 [ et seq.], the Endangered Species Act of 1973 [ et seq.], and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act [ et seq.].

Pub. L. 95–541, § 892 Stat. 2054(, , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 92–52286 Stat. 1027section 1361 of this titleThe Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, referred to in subsec. (d), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 31 (§ 1361 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 93–20587 Stat. 884section 1531 of this titleThe Endangered Species Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (d), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 35 (§ 1531 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act July 3, 1918, ch. 12840 Stat. 755section 710 of this titleThe Migratory Bird Treaty Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is , , which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 703 et seq.) of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.