9VAC25-875-770. State agency land-disturbing activities.
A. All state agency land-disturbing activities that are not exempt and that have commenced without an approved erosion and sediment control plan shall immediately cease until the state agency has either submitted standards and specifications for its conduct of land-disturbing activities which has been reviewed and approved by the department as being consistent with the VESMA and attendant regulations or an erosion and sediment control plan has been submitted to and approved by the department. A formal Notice of Plan Requirement will be sent to the state agency under whose purview the project lies since that agency is responsible for compliance with the State Water Control Law and this chapter.
B. Where inspections by department personnel reveal deficiencies in carrying out an approved plan, the person responsible for carrying out the plan, as well as the state agency responsible, will be issued a notice to comply with specific actions and the deadlines that shall be met. Failure to meet the prescribed deadlines can result in the issuance of a stop work order for all land-disturbing activities on the project at the discretion of the department. The stop work order will be lifted once the required erosion and sediment control measures are in place and inspected by department staff.
C. Whenever the Commonwealth or any of its agencies fails to comply within the time provided in an appropriate final order, the director of the department may petition for compliance as follows: For violations in the Natural and Historic Resources Secretariat, to the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources; for violations in other secretariats, to the appropriate Secretary; for violations in other state agencies, to the head of such agency. Where the petition does not achieve timely compliance, the director shall bring the matter to the Governor for resolution. The department may also pursue enforcement as provided by § 62.1-44.15:48 of the Code of Virginia and Article 5 (§ 62.1- 44.20 et seq.) of the State Water Control Law.
D. Where compliance will require the appropriation of funds, the director shall cooperate with the appropriate agency head in seeking such an appropriation; where the director determines that an emergency exists, the director shall petition the Governor for funds from the Civil Contingency Fund or other appropriate source.
Statutory Authority
§ 62.1-44.15:28 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 40, Issue 8, eff. July 1, 2024.