The Washington Department of Ecology issued $401,000 in penalties of $1,000 or more July through September 2018. A table listing the violations and resulting penalties is below.
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 July-September 2018
|
County
|
City
|
Date issued
|
Recipient
|
Description
|
Amount
|
Media contact
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Asotin
|
Anatone
|
7/20/2018
|
Bonasa Breaks Ranch
|
The Bonasa Breaks Ranch dam failed on April 13, 2017, causing large-scale environmental damage to Rattlesnake Creek and the Grande Ronde River. The owner agreed to pay $15,000 for failing to secure required permits to increase the dam’s size, and $100,000 for violating the state’s water quality laws. The agreement also includes restoration of more than six miles of creek estimated to cost $2.5 million over the next 10 years. News release.
|
$115,000
|
Brook Beeler, 509-329-3464
|
|
Clark
|
Vancouver
|
9/28/2018
|
Ken Leahy Construction Inc.
|
Allowed soil and sediment to track off site, and failed to contain construction debris/trash at the Portside Lagoon and Landfill, in repeat violations of their construction stormwater permit.
|
$2,000
|
Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408
|
|
King
|
Auburn
|
9/24/2018
|
Numatic Finishing Corp.
|
Improperly managed dangerous wastes, including ignitable and toxic solvents and leftover paints that can release harmful vapors or cause fires.
News release. |
$20,000
|
Larry Altose,
425-649-7009 |
|
King
|
Seattle
|
8/3/2018
|
King County Wastewater Treatment Division
|
Settlement payment under a legal agreement with Ecology and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for violating state water quality permit conditions related to combined sewer overflows (CSO) in 2016 and 2017. News release. Paid.
|
$100,500
|
Larry Altose,
425-649-7009 |
|
King
|
Seattle
|
8/3/2018
|
King County Wastewater Treatment Division
|
Violated water quality permit CSO provisions in 2016 and 2017, not covered under a legal agreement on CSO control with Ecology and EPA. News release. Paid.
|
$18,000
|
Larry Altose,
425-649-7009 |
|
King
|
Seattle
|
7/19/2018
|
Timothy E. Whitney, vessel owner
|
Spilled 110 gallons of oil into Salmon Bay when the tugboat Chief sank at Ballard Oil Marina in November 2017. News release.
|
$127,500
|
Sandy Howard,
360-407-6990 |
|
Kitsap
|
Bremerton
|
7/9/2018
|
Trep Development LLC
|
Failed to keep muddy water from draining off the East Park construction site into nearby storm drains and waterways. News release. Appealed.
|
$13,000
|
Larry Altose,
425-649-7009 |
|
Pierce
|
Tacoma
|
9/7/2018
|
Jackpot Station 340
|
Failed to comply with leak detection requirements at fueling operations. Also failed to comply with reporting and recordkeeping and operator training requirements for environmental protection.
|
$1,000
|
CherylAnn Bishop,
360-407-6848 |
|
Pierce
|
Fife
|
9/24/2018
|
Flying J Travel Plaza
|
Failed to comply with corrosion protection requirements at fueling operations.
|
$1,000
|
CherylAnn Bishop,
360-407-6848 |
|
Skagit
|
Burlington
|
8/27/2018
|
Cascade Concrete Industries
|
Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for second quarter of 2018, as required under the sand and gravel water quality permit.
|
$1,500
|
Ty Keltner
360-255-4405 |
|
Skagit
|
Alger
|
8/28/2018
|
Bell Alger Sand & Gravel
|
Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for first and second quarter of 2018, as required by the sand and gravel water quality permit.
|
$1,500
|
Ty Keltner
360-255-4405 |
Missing penalties for April-June 2018
Due to a lag in docket posting, some penalties totaling $41,800 were missing from our second quarter report.|
County
|
City
|
Date issued
|
Recipient
|
Description
|
Amount
|
Media contact
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan | Cashmere | 6/20/2018 | Blue Star Growers, Inc. Plant 1 | Failed to submit water quality discharge monitoring reports for three quarters in 2016 as required under the industrial stormwater general permit. Penalty paid. | $3.000 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Clark | Washougal | 6/20/2018 | Intech Enterprises Grant St Washougal | Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for three quarters in 2016 as required under the industrial stormwater general permit. Penalty appealed. | $3,000 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Grays Harbor | Elma | 6/20/2018 | Twin Harbor Recycling Hwy 12 | Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for three quarters in 2016 as required under the industrial stormwater general permit. | $3,000 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Grays Harbor | 6/27/2018 | Fishing Vessel Ila; Kenneth F. Earnst Jr. |
Vessel owner grounded his fishing boat on the beach, causing an oil spill and an environmental emergency. | $7,000 | Sandy Howard, 360-407-6990 |
|
| King | Bellevue | 6/20/2018 | Shimmick/Parson Joint Venture | Released muddy water and sediment into Mercer Slough when a stormwater tank for the Sound Transit East Link project was emptied at too high a rate onto a gravel parking lot. Penalty paid. | $2,500 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Federal Way | 6/20/2018 | Astro Autowrecking | Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for three quarters in 2016 as required under the industrial stormwater general permit. | $3,000 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Pierce | Tacoma | 6/8/2018 | Wm Dickson Co. Waller Road Pit | Tracked sediment onto the roadway where entering a catch basin that goes to Pierce County's stormwater conveyance system, and violated sand and gravel water quality permit. | $2,500 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Pierce | Spanaway | 6/20/2018 | Rollins Auto Wrecking | Failed to submit discharge monitoring reports for two quarters in 2016 as required under the industrial stormwater general permit. Penalty paid. | $3,000 | Colleen Keltz, 360-407-6408 |
| Skagit | Concrete | 5/29/2018 | Town of Concrete | Discharged untreated wastewater to the Skagit River; failed to properly maintain and operate the town’s wastewater treatment plant, and did not report violations in a timely manner. News release. Appealed. | $12,800 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |