Enforcement Actions

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality enforces environmental laws to protect human health and the environment. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.

Penalties are listed below. The organization or individual must either pay the penalty amount or appeal the violation within 20 days of receiving the notice. There may be several weeks or months delay between the date the notice was issued and the date it was received.

In some cases, violators may resolve a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment.