(1) In addition to any liability or penalty provided by law, the State Department of Agriculture may impose a civil penalty on the owner or operator of a confined animal feeding operation for failure to comply with a provision of ORS Chapter 468 or 468B or any rule adopted under, or a permit issued under ORS Chapter 468 or 468B, relating to the control and prevention of water pollution from a confined animal feeding operation. For the purposes of this section, each day a violation continues after the period of time established for compliance shall be considered a separate violation unless the State Department of Agriculture finds that a different period of time is more appropriate to describe a specific violation event.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(2) Except for an animal feeding operation subject to regulation under 33 U.S.C. § 1342, the State Department of Agriculture may not impose a civil penalty under subsection (1) of this section for a first violation by an owner or operator of a confined animal feeding operation:

(a) That is more than $2,500; and

(b) Unless the State Department of Agriculture notifies the violator that the violation must be eliminated no later than 30 business days from the date the violator receives the notice. If the violation requires more than 30 days to correct, the State Department of Agriculture may allow such time as is necessary to correct the violation. In all cases, the legal owner of the property shall also be notified, prior to the assessment of any civil penalty.

(3) The State Department of Agriculture may not impose a civil penalty under subsection (1) of this section that exceeds $10,000 for a subsequent violation.

(4) In imposing a civil penalty under this section, the State Department of Agriculture may consider:

(a) The past history of the owner or operator in taking all feasible steps or procedures necessary and appropriate to correct a violation.

(b) A past violation of a rule or statute relating to a water quality plan.

(c) The gravity and magnitude of the violation.

(d) Whether the violation was a sole event, repeated or continuous.

(e) Whether the cause of the violation was as a result of an unavoidable accident, negligence or an intentional act.

(f) Whether the owner or operator cooperated in an effort to correct the violation.

(g) The extent to which the violation threatens the public health and safety.

(5) No notice of violation or period for compliance shall be required under subsection (2) of this section if:

(a) The violation is intentional; or

(b) The owner or operator has received a previous notice of the same or similar violation.

(6) A civil penalty collected by the State Department of Agriculture under this section shall be deposited into a special subaccount in the Department of Agriculture Service Fund. Moneys in the subaccount are continuously appropriated to the department to be used for educational programs on animal waste management and to carry out animal waste management demonstration or research projects.

(7) Any civil penalty imposed under this section shall be reduced by the amount of any civil penalty imposed by the Environmental Quality Commission, the Department of Environmental Quality or the United States Environmental Protection Agency, if the latter penalties are imposed on the same person and are based on the same violation. [1993 c.567 § 3; 2001 c.248 § 10]

Section 13, chapter 465, Oregon Laws 2023, provides:

(1) Not more than 180 days after the United States Environmental Protection Agency finalizes the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study, the Department of Environmental Quality shall report, in the manner provided by ORS § 192.245, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to agriculture on the findings from the study that relate to animal feeding operations.

(2) The report:

(a) Must summarize how the findings related to air emissions by confined animal feeding operations may inform an understanding of emissions of air contaminants by animal feeding operations in Oregon.

(b) Must identify existing Oregon laws and rules, as well as NPDES and WPCF permit requirements, that pertain to the findings described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(c) May identify a process for developing recommendations to reduce emissions of air contaminants by animal feeding operations, based on the results of the study described in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) As used in this section, ‘NPDES’ and ‘WPCF’ have the meanings given those terms in ORS § 561.255. [2023 c.465 § 13]

OIL OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLAGE

(Generally)