West Virginia Code 16-9-3 – Depositing dead animals or offensive substances in or near waters or on or near roads or on public or private grounds; penalties; failure to bury or destroy offensive substances after conviction; successive offenses
Any person (1) who throws, causes to be thrown or releases any dead animal, carcass, or part thereof, garbage, sink or shower waste, organic substances, contents of a privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or the effluent from any cesspool, spoiled meat or nauseous or offensive or poisonous substances into any river, creek or other stream, or upon the surface of any land adjacent to any river, creek or other stream in such a location that high water or normal drainage conditions will cause such offensive materials to be washed, drained or cast into the river, creek or other stream; or (2) who throws, or causes to be thrown or releases any of such offensive materials upon the surface of any road, right-of-way, street, alley, city or town lot, public ground, market space, common or private land, or (3) who, being the owner, lessee or occupant of any city or town lot, public ground, market space, common or private land knowingly permits any such offensive materials to remain thereon or neglects or refuses to remove or abate the public health menace or nuisance occasioned thereby, within twenty-four hours of the service of notice thereof in writing from the commissioner of the bureau of public health or his or her duly authorized representative, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. None of the provisions contained in this section apply to those commercial or industrial wastes which are subject to the regulatory control of the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-9-3
- Bureau: means the Bureau for Public Health in the department. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
- Commissioner: means the commissioner of the bureau, who may be designated as the state health officer. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing, engraving, writing, or otherwise. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- Town: includes a city, village or town, and the word "council" any body or board, whether composed of one or more branches, which is authorized to make ordinances for the government of a city, town, or village. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
Upon a conviction for any such offense, the person shall, within twenty-four hours after such conviction, remove and bury or cause to be buried at least three feet under the ground, or destroy or cause to be destroyed as otherwise directed by the commissioner of the bureau of public health or his or her duly authorized representative, any of such offensive materials which the person so convicted has placed or knowingly permitted to remain upon such city or town lot, public ground, market space, common or private land, contrary to the provisions of this section. Such person's failure or refusal to do so is a misdemeanor and, a second offense against the provisions of this section. The continued failure or refusal of such convicted person to remove and bury or destroy such offensive materials is a separate, distinct and additional offense for each successive twenty-four-hour period of such failure and refusal. Any person convicted of any offense described in this paragraph shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than ninety days, or both fined and imprisoned.