25-8-607. Restraining orders and injunctions

25-8-607. Restraining orders and injunctions. (1) The division may request the district attorney for the judicial district with jurisdiction pursuant to subsection (2) of this section or the attorney general to bring, and if so requested it shall be the duty of such district attorney or the attorney general to bring, a suit for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction to prevent any threatened violation of this article or any order, permit, or control regulation issued or promulgated pursuant to this article which violation poses imminent and substantial endangerment to the beneficial uses of state waters and which cannot be timely prevented by a permit modification or permit enforcement action, or any continued violation of this article, or any order, permit, or control regulation issued or promulgated pursuant to this article. In any suit for a violation of an order, the final findings of the division, after opportunity for a hearing, based upon evidence in the record, shall be prima facie evidence of the facts found in such record.

(2) Suits under this section shall be brought in the district or county court for the district or county in which the violation or threatened violation occurs. Emergencies shall be given precedence over all other matters pending in such court. The institution of such injunction proceeding by the division shall confer upon such court exclusive jurisdiction to determine finally the subject matter of the proceeding; except that the exclusive jurisdiction of the court shall apply only to such injunctive proceeding and shall not preclude assessment of civil penalties or any other enforcement action or sanction authorized by this article.