(a) In addition to proceeding under any other remedy available at law or in equity for a violation of a provision of this act or any rule or regulation promulgated under this act or any order, plan approval or permit issued pursuant to this act, the department may assess a civil penalty for the violation. The penalty may be assessed whether or not the violation was wilful. The civil penalty so assessed shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per day for each violation which occurs in the first three (3) years following enactment of this section, fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) per day for each violation which occurs in the fourth year following enactment of this section and twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) per day for each violation which occurs in the fifth year and all subsequent years following enactment of this section. In determining the amount of the penalty, the department shall consider the wilfulness of the violation; damage to air, soil, water or other natural resources of the Commonwealth or their uses; financial benefit to the person in consequence of the violation; deterrence of future violations; cost to the department; the size of the source or facility; the compliance history of the source; the severity and duration of the violation; degree of cooperation in resolving the violation; the speed with which compliance is ultimately achieved; whether the violation was voluntarily reported; other factors unique to the owners or operator of the source or facility; and other relevant factors.

(b) When the department proposes to assess a civil penalty, it shall inform the person of the proposed amount of the penalty. The person charged with the penalty shall then have thirty (30) days to pay the proposed penalty in full, or, if the person wishes to contest the amount of the penalty or the fact of the violation to the extent not already established, the person shall forward the proposed amount of the penalty to the hearing board within the thirty (30) day period for placement in an escrow account with the State Treasurer or any Commonwealth bank or post an appeal bond to the hearing board within thirty (30) days in the amount of the proposed penalty, provided that such bond is executed by a surety licensed to do business in the Commonwealth and is satisfactory to the department. If, through administrative or final judicial review of the proposed penalty, it is determined that no violation occurred or that the amount of the penalty shall be reduced, the hearing board shall, within thirty (30) days, remit the appropriate amount to the person with any interest accumulated by the escrow deposit. Failure to forward the money or the appeal bond at the time of the appeal shall result in a waiver of all legal rights to contest the violation or the amount of the civil penalty unless the appellant alleges financial inability to prepay the penalty or to post the appeal bond. The hearing board shall conduct a hearing to consider the appellant's alleged inability to pay within thirty (30) days of the date of the appeal. The hearing board may waive the requirement to prepay the civil penalty or to post an appeal bond if the appellant demonstrates and the hearing board finds that the appellant is financially unable to pay. The hearing board shall issue an order within thirty (30) days of the date of the hearing to consider the appellant's alleged inability to pay. The amount assessed after administrative hearing or after waiver of administrative hearing shall be payable to the Commonwealth and shall be collectible in any manner provided by law for the collection of debts, including the collection of interest at the rate established in subsection (c) of section 6.3,¹ which shall run from the date of assessment of the penalty. If any person liable to pay any such penalty neglects or refuses to pay the same after demand, the amount, together with interest and any costs that may accrue, shall constitute a debt of such person, as may be appropriate, to the Clean Air Fund. The debt shall constitute a lien on all property owned by said person when a notice of lien incorporating a description of the property of the person subject to the action is duly filed with the prothonotary of the court of common pleas where the property is located. The prothonotary shall promptly enter upon the civil judgment or order docket, at no cost to the department, the name and address of the person, as may be appropriate, and the amount of the lien as set forth in the notice of lien. Upon entry by the prothonotary, the lien shall attach to the revenues and all real and personal property of the person, whether or not the person is solvent. The notice of lien, filed pursuant to this subsection, which affects the property of the person shall create a lien with priority over all subsequent claims or liens which are filed against the person, but it shall not affect any valid lien, right or interest in the property filed in accordance with established procedure prior to the filing of a notice of lien under this subsection.