75-7-123. Penalties -- restoration. (1) A person who initiates a project without written consent of the supervisors, performs activities outside the scope of written consent of the supervisors, violates emergency procedures provided for in 75-7-113, or violates 75-7-106 is: (a) guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500; or (b) subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each day that person continues to be in violation. (2) Each day of a continuing violation constitutes a separate violation. The maximum civil penalty is the jurisdictional amount for purposes of 3-10-301. A conservation district may work with a person who is subject to a civil penalty to resolve the amount of the penalty prior to initiating an enforcement action in justice's court to collect a civil penalty. (3) In addition to a fine or a civil penalty under subsection (1), the person: (a) shall restore, at the discretion of the court, the damaged stream, as recommended by the supervisors, to as near its prior condition as possible; or (b) is civilly liable for the amount necessary to restore the stream. he discretion of the court, the damaged stream, as recommended by the supervisors, to as near its prior condition as possible; or (b) is civilly liable for the amount necessary to restore the stream. The amount of the liability may be collected in an action instituted pursuant to 3-10-301 if the amount of liability does not exceed $15,000. If the amount of liability for restoration exceeds $15,000, then the action must be brought in district court. (4) Money recovered by a conservation district or a county attorney, whether as a fine or a civil penalty, must be deposited in the depository of district funds provided for in 76-15-523, unless upon order of a justice's court the money is directed to be deposited pursuant to 3-10-601. History: En. 26-1523 by Sec. 14, Ch. 463, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 26-1523(1); amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 255, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 426, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 470, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 284, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 331, L. 2021.
Montana Legal Code
§ 75-7-123
Source: https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0750/chapter_0070/part_0010/section_0230/0750-0070-0010-0230.html· Version 2025