Whenever the Department has reasonable cause to believe that any person has violated or is threatening to violate any of the provisions of this Article or Article 21 of this Chapter or a rule implementing this Article or Article 21 of this Chapter, the Department, either before or after the institution of any other action or proceeding authorized by this Article or Article 21 of this Chapter, may request the Attorney General to institute a civil action in the name of the State upon the relation of the Department for injunctive relief to restrain the violation or threatened violation and for such other and further relief in the premises as the court shall deem proper.  The Attorney General may institute such action in the Superior Court of Wake County, or, in his discretion, in the superior court of the county in which the violation occurred or may occur.  Upon a determination by the court that the alleged violation of the provisions of this Article or Article 21 of this Chapter or the regulation of the Commission has occurred or is threatened, the court shall grant the relief necessary to prevent or abate the violation or threatened violation.  Neither the institution of the action nor any of the proceedings thereon shall relieve any party to such proceedings from any penalty prescribed for violation of this Article or Article 21 of this Chapter. (1973, c. 821, s. 6; c. 1262, s. 23; c. 1331, s. 3; 1975, c. 19, s. 53; c. 842, ss. 6, 7; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1979, c. 545, ss. 4-6; 1987, c. 748, s. 2; c. 827, ss. 154, 212; 1989, c. 135, s. 8; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1045, s. 6.)