Virginia Code Title 40.1. Labor and Employment § 40.1-51.28. Issuance of special orders

A. The Commissioner shall have the power to issue special orders to:

B. Such special orders are to be issued only after a hearing with reasonable notice to the affected owners of the time, place and purpose thereof, and they shall become effective not less than five days after service as provided in subsection C. Should the Commissioner find that any such owner is unreasonably affecting the public health, safety or welfare, the health of animal or plant life, or property, after a reasonable attempt to give notice, he shall declare a state of emergency and may issue without a hearing an emergency special order directing the owner to cease such pollution immediately, and shall within ten days hold a hearing, after reasonable notice as to the time and place thereof to the owner to affirm, modify, amend or cancel such emergency special order. If the Commissioner finds that an owner who has been issued a special order or an emergency special order is not complying with the terms thereof, he may proceed in accordance with § 40.1-51.35 or § 40.1-51.39.

C. Any special order issued under the provisions of this section need not be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, but the owner to whom such special order is directed shall be notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent to the last known address of such owner, or by personal delivery by an agent of the Commissioner, and the time limits specified shall be counted from the date of receipt.

D. Nothing in this section or in § 40.1-51.26 shall limit the Commissioner's authority to proceed against such owner directly under § 40.1-51.35 or § 40.1-51.39 without the prior issuance of an order, special, or otherwise.