Governor Matt Meyer sitting at a table with a group of people signing the new law.

The Pollution Accountability Act being signed by Matt Meyer (Rep. Larry Lambert). 

DOVER, Del. - Gov. Matt Meyer signed a new law that aims to increase penalties for commercial polluters and directs more money to the communities that are being affected by environmental violations. 

With the new law, the Pollution Accountability Act, fines will be increased for violations across a range of state environmental laws which include hazardous waste, oil pollution, nutrient management, stream contamination and noise control. 

For example, for the pollution of streams the original minimum fine was $5,000 and now the new minimum is $15,000. 

Under the current law, 25 percent of the fines being collected will be directed to the Community Environmental Project Fund. This fund provides support for the restoration of the environment to communities that were damaged by environmental pollution. Now with this new law the percentage increases to 40.

Rep. Larry Lambert, the primary sponsor of the bill, celebrated its passage on Facebook.

"This bill not only strengthens deterrents to keep polluters from polluting, but it ensures that the revenue generated from these harsher penalties directly benefits our impacted communities," he said. "Where damage happens is where the remedy should happen."

The new law took effect on July 16. Â