Compliance & Enforcement - Northwest Clean Air Agency

To keep air quality in our region among the cleanest in the country, we prefer to work with the businesses we regulate and inform the public of requirements to achieve compliance and prevent pollution.

Complying with air quality laws, rules and regulations is essential to protecting your health and the health of others.

But when businesses and individuals are out of compliance, we can and do hold them accountable.

As a member of this community, your involvement can help us hold businesses and individuals accountable. If you observe a business or individual polluting the air in your community, please let us know by filing a complaint

These are the most common types of enforcement actions we issue, and what you can do:

Notice of Violation

If you receive this notice, it’s our official notice to you as a business or individual that we have evidence you contributed to, allowed, committed, or are continuing to commit, a violation. Violation notices include a description of the activities we are alleging were noncompliant, and the regulations we are alleging have been violated. According to our regulation, we must serve you, the alleged violator, with written notice at least 30 days before we issue a penalty.

Contact us within 30 days to provide us information regarding steps you have taken to correct a violation or set up a meeting to discuss the alleged violation and possible resolutions.

Notice of Violation Information Sheet

Corrective Action Order

The Notice of Violation may include specific actions from you with deadlines. Failure to take these actions by the dates specified could result in further enforcement actions. Contact us immediately if you cannot take the actions required to discuss possible resolutions.

Imposition of Penalty

Penalties are intended to encourage violators to stop noncompliant activities and to deter future noncompliance.

We calculate penalties in accordance with our Penalty Policy:

Fine for alleged violations: Up to $19,000 per day for each alleged violation.

Economic benefit: Cost savings gained while avoiding or delaying compliance with regulations.

We also may seek restraining orders, injunctions, and other court orders in the event that these actions fail to result in correction of noncompliant activities. In addition to authorizing us to impose civil penalties, the state Clean Air Act also authorizes criminal prosecution and punishment for people convicted of knowing and willful violations.

If you receive an Imposition of Penalty notice, you have three options:

Pay the penalty within 30 calendar days of receipt. Unpaid penalty balances are forwarded to a collection agency.
Request a reduction. We may be willing to reduce your fine if you are willing to take specific actions and assure that the violation does not occur again. Economic benefit portions of penalties may not be reduced.
File an appeal with the Pollution Control Hearings Board of the State of Washington. You must file your appeal within 30 days from receiving the penalty notice. If the appeal is properly filed, the PCHB will set a formal hearing date. Hearings include witnesses, sworn testimony, exhibits, a court recorder and other typical legal procedures.

PAY PENALTY ONLINE

January 2026 Enforcement
by the numbers

Alleged Violations

Penalties Issued

These are the most common types of enforcement actions we issue, and what you can do:

January 2026 Enforcement by the numbers

January 2026 Enforcement
by the numbers