29 October 2015: Water Level Order Enforcement: Where to from here?

[dropcap]I’ve[/dropcap] received a lot of inquiries about the September 28th Notice of Violation (NOV) and the recently issued letter from the DEP  denying the dam owner’s request for a stay of enforcement, with everyone mostly wanting to know what’s next? Where does it go from here? My honest answer is I don’t know what’s next and I’d rather not engage in speculation. I have been pointing people at the Department of Environmental Protection’s Enforcement and Compliance web page for general information, and the Department’s “Non-Compliance Response Guidance” document for more a more detailed look at DEP’s enforcement options. One thing is perfectly clear: the DEP has come out swinging and has every intention of vigorously pursuing enforcement of the Clary Lake water level order.