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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 26Pt. 4Ch. 4Art. 3§ 42400 Air Pollution Violation Penalties

§ 42400 Air Pollution Violation Penalties

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 42400 Air Pollution Violation Penalties

Key Takeaways

  • •Breaking air pollution rules can get you in trouble, like paying up to $5,000 or going to jail for up to 6 months.
  • •If an employee or contractor messes up a gasoline tank system, they can be fined or jailed, not their boss (unless the boss also broke the rules).
  • •If your pollution hurts a lot of people’s health, you could pay up to $15,000 or go to jail for up to 9 months.
  • •Every day you break the rules counts as a new crime, so fines and jail time can add up fast.

Example

A factory keeps releasing dirty smoke into the air even after being told to stop.

If the smoke makes people sick and they need to see a doctor, the factory owner could be fined up to $15,000 or jailed for up to 9 months. If they keep doing it for a week, they could be punished for each day separately.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 42400 Air Pollution Violation Penalties

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 42400.1, 42400.2, 42400.3, 42400.3.5, or 42400.4, any person who violates this part, or any rule, regulation, permit, or order of the state board or of a district, including a district hearing board, adopted pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 39000) to Part 4 (commencing with Section 41500), inclusive, is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both. (b) If a violation under subdivision (a) with regard to the failure to operate a vapor recovery system on a gasoline cargo tank is directly caused by the actions of an employee under the supervision of, or of any independent contractor working for, any person subject to this part, the employee or independent contractor, as the case may be, causing the violation is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable as provided in subdivision (a). That liability shall not extend to the person employing the employee or retaining the independent contractor, unless that person is separately guilty of an action that violates this part. (c) Any person who owns or operates any source of air contaminants in violation of Section 41700 that causes actual injury, as defined in subdivision (d), to the health or safety of a considerable number of persons or the public is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than nine months, or both. (d) As used in this section, “actual injury” means any physical injury that, in the opinion of a licensed physician and surgeon, requires medical treatment involving more than a physical examination. (e) Each day during any portion of which a violation of subdivision (a) or (c) occurs is a separate offense. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 136, Sec. 4. (AB 617) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 24, 2026

Key Terms

violationtreatmentimprisonmentpollutionregulationliabilitymedicalcontract

Related Statutes

  • § 106878 Water Operator Certification Requirements
  • § 42400.2 Air Contaminant Emission Penalties
  • § 42400.3 Air Contaminant Emission Penalties
  • § 42402 Environmental Violation Penalties
  • § 1609 Biologics Production Licensing Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 42400.
View Official Source