Any person upon whom any order of the director or any order of the board in accordance with the provisions of section fifteen of this article, or article one, chapter twenty-two-b of this code has been served shall fully comply therewith.
When such person is ordered to take remedial action and does not elect to cease operation of the establishment deemed to be the source of such pollution, or when such ceasing does not stop the pollution, he or she shall forthwith apply for a permit under and in accordance with the provisions of sections eight, nine and eleven of this article. No such remedial action shall be taken until a permit therefor has been issued; however, receipt of a permit does not in and of itself constitute remedial action.