Ecology works with thousands of businesses and individuals to help them comply with state laws. Penalties are issued in cases where non-compliance continues after Ecology has provided technical assistance or warnings, or for particularly serious violations.
The money owed from penalties may be reduced from the issued amount due to settlement or court rulings. Funds collected go to the state’s general fund or to dedicated pollution prevention accounts
Ecology strives to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment and promote wise management for current and future generations. When someone pollutes Washington’s land, air or waters, Ecology enforces state and federal regulations in hopes of changing behavior and deterring future violations.
Penalties for April-June 2018
UPDATE: Due to a lag in docket posting, some entries totaling $41,800 were added to our third quarter report.
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipient | Description | Amount | Media contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan | Leavenworth | 5/18/18 | Christopher E. and Janett Olson | Conducted substantial unpermitted shoreline development and creation of land within the shoreline of the Wenatchee River. News release. |
$19,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Cowlitz | Longview | 6/25/18 | Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. | The company released air emissions above the specified limits of their permit for methanol for 26 days, beginning on Nov. 9, 2017, violating air quality requirements. | $9,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Douglas | Rock Island | 6/6/18 | Dave Bremmer, Bremmer Construction | Caused or allowed an outdoor fire containing prohibited materials to burn, including railroad ties, during an air quality burn ban. | $5,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Grays Harbor | Cosmopolis | 4/19/18 | Cosmo Specialty Fibers Inc. | Exceeded opacity and particulate matter limits for air quality permit requirements because scrubber on hog fuel boiler was not maintained. | $2,500 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Jefferson | Port Townsend | 2/1/18 | Port Townsend Paper Corp. |
Released carbon monoxide above the amount allowed by their air quality permit in November 2017. The limit is based on a 30-day rolling average and the limit was violated on three days during that month. Penalty has been paid | $4,500 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| King | Kenmore | 5/21/18 | Kenmore Air Harbor | Failed to cover and label hazardous waste and oil containers, among other violations of dangerous waste regulations. Under a December 2017 settlement of an earlier hazardous waste penalty, $5,000 is due if further violations occur within two years. Penalty paid | $5,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Skykomish | 4/10/18 | Sky Gas | Failed to report overfilling a 45 gallon underground storage tank on April 9, 2018, and to comply with multiple leak prevention and detection requirements for underground storage tanks. Penalty paid. | $1,100 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | 4/24/18 | King County Wastewater Treatment Division | A contractor for a sewer main upgrade project released bentonite clay drilling slurry to the ground on three days beginning on March 14, 2018. The third release flowed outside the work zone, and some of the slurry entered Lake Sammamish. Penalty paid. | $4,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
|
| Klickitat | Appleton | 4/16/18 | Wilbur Harth Jr. | Burned prohibited materials including tires in an outdoor fire. Did not attend fire or have a burn permit and caused emissions detrimental to people’s health. | $6,625 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Lewis | Morton | 4/24/18 | Stericycle | Repeatedly discharged polluted wastewater from its medical waste processing plant in Morton. The wastewater disrupted the city’s treatment plant and threatened aquatic life in the Tilton River. News release. |
$72,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Stevens | Loon Lake | 5/30/18 | David Christie | Illegally burned a large slash pile on his property in Deer Lake that caused smoke affecting nearby residents. Stevens County Sheriff's Office responded. | $4,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Whatcom | Blaine | 4/25/18 | Blaine Shell | Failed to have a properly working overfill prevention alarm on four underground storage tanks. Also, two underground gas tanks did not meet monthly release detection requirements when they were discovered to have failed leak tests for many months. | $1,100 | Ty Keltner, 360-255-4405 |
| Whatcom | Bellingham | 4/25/18 | Parkway Shell, LLC | Failed to pay annual tank fees and comply with tank and piping leak detection and tank corrosion protection requirements. | $1,200 | Ty Keltner, 360-255-4405 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 5/22/18 | Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery | Released phenolic compounds above the limits in the water quality permit on Jan. 27, 2018. Due to toxicity, the facility is required to treat wastewater to a certain level before discharging. | $2,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Whatcom | Bellingham | 5/8/18 | PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Medical Center | Improperly managed dangerous waste. Settled violations for improper disposal, lack of staff training, and failing to conduct regular inspections. News release. |
$16,000 | Ty Keltner, 360-255-4405 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 4/3/18 | Cadman, Inc. | Violated the terms of a waste discharge permit at the Ferndale Ready Mix concrete batch facility. Discharged sediment in excess of permit limits. Discharged stormwater without a permit authorization. | $2,500 | Ty Keltner, 360-255-4405 |