RCW 70.118B.050 Violations—Civil penalties.

(1) A person who violates a law or rule regulating large on-site sewage systems administered by the department is subject to a penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars per day for every violation. Every violation is a separate and distinct offense. In case of a continuing violation, each day's continuing violation is a separate and distinct violation. The penalty assessed must reflect the significance of the violation and the previous record of compliance on the part of the person responsible for compliance with large on-site sewage system requirements.

(2) Every person who, through an act of commission or omission, procures, aids, or abets a violation is considered to have violated the provisions of this section and is subject to the penalty provided in this section.

(3) The penalty provided for in this section must be imposed by a notice in writing to the person against whom the civil penalty is assessed and must describe the violation. The notice must be personally served in the manner of service of a summons in a civil action or in a manner that shows proof of receipt. A penalty imposed by this section is due twenty-eight days after receipt of notice unless application for an adjudicative proceeding is filed as provided in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) Within twenty-eight days after notice is received, the person incurring the penalty may file an application for an adjudicative proceeding and may pursue subsequent review as provided in chapter 34.05 RCW and applicable rules.

(5) A penalty imposed by a final administrative order is due upon service of the final administrative order. A person who fails to pay a penalty assessed by a final administrative order within thirty days of service of the final administrative order shall pay, in addition to the amount of the penalty, interest at the rate of one percent of the unpaid balance of the assessed penalty for each month or part of a month that the penalty remains unpaid, commencing with the month in which the notice of penalty was served, and reasonable attorneys' fees as are incurred if civil enforcement of the final administrative order is required to collect the penalty.

(6) A person who institutes proceedings for judicial review of a final administrative order assessing a civil penalty under this chapter shall place the full amount of the penalty in an interest-bearing account in the registry of the reviewing court. At the conclusion of the proceeding the court shall, as appropriate, enter a judgment on behalf of the department and order that the judgment be satisfied to the extent possible from moneys paid into the registry of the court or shall enter a judgment in favor of the person appealing the penalty assessment and order return of the moneys paid into the registry of the court together with accrued interest to the person appealing. The judgment may award reasonable attorneys' fees for the cost of the attorney general's office in representing the department.

(7) If no appeal is taken from a final administrative order assessing a civil penalty under this chapter, the department may file a certified copy of the final administrative order with the clerk of the superior court in which the large on-site sewage system is located or in Thurston county, and the clerk shall enter judgment in the name of the department and in the amount of the penalty assessed in the final administrative order.

(8) A judgment entered under subsection (6) or (7) of this section has the same force and effect as, and is subject to all of the provisions of law relating to, a judgment in a civil action, and may be enforced in the same manner as any other judgment of the court in which it is entered.

(9) The large on-site sewage systems account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from penalties imposed under this section shall be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account shall be used by the department to provide training and technical assistance to large on-site sewage system owners and operators. Only the secretary or the secretary's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

[ 2007 c 343 § 6.]