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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71859</law_id><section_number>62.1-44.15:48</section_number><catch_line>Penalties, injunctions, and other legal actions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>62.1-44.15:25</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:25.1</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:29.1</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:37</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:49</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="62.1">Waters of the State, Ports and Harbors</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3.1">State Water Control Law</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2.3">Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Act (VESMA)</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For a <span class="dictionary">land-disturbing activity</span> that disturbs 2,500 square feet or more of land in an area of a locality that is designated as a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Cooperative state-local program" href="/62.1-44.15_67/">62.1-44.15:67</a> et seq.), or that disturbs one acre or more of land or is part of a larger common <span class="dictionary">plan</span> of development or sale that disturbs one acre or more of land anywhere else in the Commonwealth: <a id="paragraph-258898" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates any applicable provision of this article or of any <span class="dictionary">regulation</span>, <span class="dictionary">permit</span>, or standard and specification adopted or approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> hereunder, or who fails, neglects, or refuses to comply with any <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, or a <span class="dictionary">court</span>, issued as herein provided, shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Penalties" href="/62.1-44.32/">62.1-44.32</a>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct that any <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State Treasurer into the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Stormwater Local Assistance Fund" href="/62.1-44.15_29.1/">62.1-44.15:29.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-258899" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates any applicable provision of this article, or any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted pursuant to this article, including those adopted pursuant to the conditions of an MS4 <span class="dictionary">permit</span>, or any condition of a local <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span>, or who fails, neglects, or refuses to comply with any <span class="dictionary">order</span> of a locality serving as a <span class="dictionary">VESMP authority</span> or a <span class="dictionary">court</span>, issued as herein provided, shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $32,500 for each violation within the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. Each day of violation of each requirement shall constitute a separate <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. Such civil penalties shall be paid into the treasury of the locality in which the violation occurred and are to be used solely for stormwater management capital projects, including (i) new stormwater best management practices; (ii) stormwater best management practice maintenance, inspection, or retrofitting; (iii) stream restoration; (iv) low-impact development projects; (v) buffer restoration; (vi) pond retrofitting; and (vii) <span class="dictionary">wetlands</span> restoration.
				Where the violator is the locality itself, or its agent, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> to be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State Treasurer into the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Stormwater Local Assistance Fund" href="/62.1-44.15_29.1/">62.1-44.15:29.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-258900" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> For a <span class="dictionary">land-disturbing activity</span> that disturbs an area measuring not less than 10,000 square feet but less than one acre in an area that is not designated as a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Cooperative state-local program" href="/62.1-44.15_67/">62.1-44.15:67</a> et seq.) and is not part of a larger common <span class="dictionary">plan</span> of development or sale that disturbs one acre or more of land: <a id="paragraph-258901" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates any applicable provision of this article or of any <span class="dictionary">regulation</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> issued pursuant to this article, or any condition of a <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span> issued by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, or fails to obtain a required <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span>, shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $5,000 for each violation with a limit of $50,000 within the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> initiated by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. Each day during which the violation is found to have existed shall constitute a separate <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. In no event shall a series of specified violations arising from the same operative set of <span class="dictionary">facts</span> result in civil penalties that exceed a total of $50,000. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> to be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State Treasurer into the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Stormwater Local Assistance Fund" href="/62.1-44.15_29.1/">62.1-44.15:29.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-258902" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any locality serving as a <span class="dictionary">VESMP authority</span> shall adopt an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> providing that a violation of any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or provision of its program adopted pursuant to this article, or any condition of a <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span>, shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span>. Such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall provide that any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates any applicable provision of this article or any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> of a locality issued pursuant to this article, or any condition of a <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span> issued by the locality, or fails to obtain a required <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span>, shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $5,000 for each violation with a limit of $50,000 within the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> initiated by the locality. Each day during which the violation is found to have existed shall constitute a separate <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. In no event shall a series of specified violations arising from the same operative set of <span class="dictionary">facts</span> result in civil penalties that exceed a total of $50,000. Any civil penalties assessed by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be paid into the treasury of the locality wherein the land lies and used pursuant to <span class="dictionary">subdivision</span> A 2, except that where the violator is the locality itself, or its agent, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> to be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State Treasurer into the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Stormwater Local Assistance Fund" href="/62.1-44.15_29.1/">62.1-44.15:29.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-258903" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The violation of any provision of this article may also result in the following <span class="dictionary">sanctions</span>: <a id="paragraph-258904" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may seek an <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, mandamus, or other appropriate remedy pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Enforcement by injunction, etc" href="/62.1-44.23/">62.1-44.23</a>. A locality serving as a <span class="dictionary">VESMP authority</span> may apply to the appropriate <span class="dictionary">court</span> in any <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> wherein the land lies to enjoin a violation or a threatened violation of the provisions of a local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> or the conditions of a local <span class="dictionary">land-disturbance approval</span>. Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> violating or failing, neglecting, or refusing to obey any <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, mandamus, or other remedy obtained pursuant to this article shall be subject, in the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> that shall be assessed and used in accordance with the provisions of subsection A or B, as applicable. <a id="paragraph-258905" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or a locality serving as a <span class="dictionary">VESMP authority</span> may use the criminal provisions provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Penalties" href="/62.1-44.32/">62.1-44.32</a>. <a id="paragraph-258906" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.15_48/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1989, cc. 467, 499, &#xA7; 10.1-603.14; 2004, c. 372; 2006, c. 171; 2012, cc. 785, 819; 2013, cc. 756, 793; 2016, cc. 68, 758.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
