What is the civil penalty cap for a permit violation under the GP?

• A. $10,000
• B. $25,000
• C. $37,500 per calendar year of such violation
• D. $100,000

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how penalties are limited under a general permit: there is a ceiling on what can be assessed in any given calendar year for a violation. The civil penalty cap is 37,500 dollars per calendar year of such violation. That means for violations occurring in one year, the most you can be penalized in that year is 37,500 dollars. If the violation spans into another year, that year has its own 37,500 dollar cap, so penalties could apply again up to that year's limit. The other dollar amounts don’t match this statutory cap, so they’re not the correct ceiling.