What is a Notice of Violation (NOV) as described in the material?

• A. Notifies any possible responsible party that they may be responsible for the spill, and signing acknowledges receipt of NOFI and potential liability up to $40,000 or 3x cleanup costs
• B. A notice that the responsible party has admitted guilt
• C. A funding instrument for cleanup
• D. A warning only

Answer: (A)

A Notice of Violation is a formal communication to someone who may be responsible for a spill, letting them know they may be liable and that their receipt is acknowledged by signing. It couples two things: the identification of potential responsibility and the indication of possible penalties or costs tied to that responsibility. The option that describes signing to acknowledge receipt of the notice and the potential liability (up to the stated amount or multiplier) reflects that both acknowledgment and enforcement potential are part of an NOV. This isn’t an admission of guilt, nor a funding tool for cleanup, nor merely a warning.