RCW 76.09.140 Enforcement.

(1) The department of natural resources may take any necessary action to enforce any final order or final decision, and may disapprove any forest practices application or notification submitted by any person who has failed to comply with a final order or final decision or has failed to pay any civil penalties as provided in RCW 76.09.170, for up to one year from the issuance of a notice of intent to disapprove notifications and applications under this section or until the violator pays all outstanding civil penalties and complies with all validly issued and outstanding notices to comply and stop work orders, whichever is longer. For purposes of chapter 482, Laws of 1993, the terms "final order" and "final decision" shall mean the same as set forth in RCW 76.09.080, 76.09.090, and 76.09.110. The department shall provide written notice of its intent to disapprove an application or notification under this subsection. The department shall forward copies of its notice of intent to disapprove to any affected landowner. The disapproval period shall run from thirty days following the date of actual notice or when all administrative and judicial appellate processes, if any, have been exhausted. Any person provided the notice may seek review from the appeals board by filing a request for review within thirty days of the date of the notice of intent. While the notice of intent to disapprove is in effect, the violator may not serve as a person in charge of, be employed by, manage, or otherwise participate to any degree in forest practices.

(2) On request of the department, the attorney general may take action necessary to enforce this chapter, including, but not limited to: Seeking penalties, interest, costs, and attorneys' fees; enforcing final orders or decisions; and seeking civil injunctions, show cause orders, or contempt orders.

(3) A county may bring injunctive, declaratory, or other actions for enforcement for forest practice activities within its jurisdiction in the superior court as provided by law against the department, the forestland owner, timber owner or operator to enforce the forest practices rules or any final order of the department, or the appeals board. No civil or criminal penalties shall be imposed for past actions or omissions if such actions or omissions were conducted pursuant to an approval or directive of the department. Injunctions, declaratory actions, or other actions for enforcement under this subsection may not be commenced unless the department fails to take appropriate action after ten days written notice to the department by the county of a violation of the forest practices rules or final orders of the department or the appeals board.

(4)(a) The department may require financial assurance prior to the conduct of any further forest practices from an operator or landowner who within the preceding three-year period has:

(i) Operated without an approved forest practices application, other than an unintentional operation in connection with an approved application outside the approved boundary of such an application;

(ii) Continued to operate in breach of, or failed to comply with, the terms of an effective stop work order or notice to comply; or

(iii) Failed to pay any civil or criminal penalty.

(b) The department may deny any application for failure to submit financial assurances as required.

[ 2000 c 11 § 6; 1999 sp.s. c 4 § 801; 1993 c 482 § 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 200 § 8; 1974 ex.s. c 137 § 14.]

NOTES:

Part headings not law—1999 sp.s. c 4: See note following RCW 77.85.180.