                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ENFORCEMENT AND CIVIL PENALTIES (§ 10.1-1316)

A. Any owner violating or failing, neglecting or refusing to obey any provision
of this chapter, any Board regulation or Department order, or any permit
condition may be compelled to comply by injunction, mandamus or other
appropriate remedy.

B. Without limiting the remedies which may be obtained under subsection A, any
owner violating or failing, neglecting or refusing to obey any Board regulation
or Department order, any provision of this chapter, or any permit condition
shall be subject, in the discretion of the court, to a civil penalty not to
exceed $32,500 for each violation. Each day of violation shall constitute a
separate offense. In determining the amount of any civil penalty to be assessed
pursuant to this subsection, the court shall consider, in addition to such other
factors as it may deem appropriate, the size of the owner&#8217;s business, the
severity of the economic impact of the penalty on the business, and the
seriousness of the violation. Such civil penalties shall be paid into the state
treasury and deposited by the State Treasurer into the Virginia Environmental
Emergency Response Fund pursuant to Chapter 25 (&#xA7; 10.1-2500 et seq.) of
this title. Such civil penalties may, in the discretion of the court assessing
them, be directed to be paid into the treasury of the county, city or town in
which the violation occurred, to be used to abate environmental pollution in
such manner as the court may, by order, direct, except that where the owner in
violation is the county, city or town itself, or its agent, the court shall
direct the penalty to be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State
Treasurer into the Virginia Environmental Emergency Response Fund pursuant to
Chapter 25 of this title.

C. With the consent of an owner who has violated or failed, neglected or refused
to obey any Board regulation or Department order, or any provision of this
chapter, or any permit condition, the Department may provide, in any order
issued by the Department against the owner, for the payment of civil charges in
specific sums, not to exceed the limit of subsection B. Such civil charges shall
be in lieu of any civil penalty which could be imposed under subsection B. Such
civil charges shall be paid into the state treasury and deposited by the State
Treasurer into the Virginia Environmental Emergency Response Fund pursuant to
Chapter 25 of this title.

D. The Department shall develop and provide an opportunity for public comment on
guidelines and procedures that contain specific criteria for calculating the
appropriate penalty for each violation based upon the severity of the
violations, the extent of any potential or actual environmental harm, the
compliance history of the facility or person, any economic benefit realized from
the noncompliance, and the ability of the person to pay the penalty.

HISTORY: 1966, c. 497, § 10-17.23; 1976, c. 622; 1978, c. 475; 1980, c. 378;
1988, c. 891; 1991, c. 718; 1993, c. 13; 2005, c. 706; 2022, c. 356.