The Washington Department of Ecology issued $237,600 in penalties of $1,000 or more from January through March 2019. A detailed list of the violations and resulting penalties is available online.
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 January-March 2019
| County | City | Date issued | Recipient | Description | Amount | Media contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asotin | Clarkston | 1/9/2019 | Daniel Burnett | Burned garbage in an outdoor fire at his residence, violating air quality burning regulations. | $1,500 | Ryan Lancaster, 509-329-3509 |
| Clark | Vancouver | 1/3/2019 | City of Vancouver | Operational problems at the Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant caused two releases of raw or partially treated sewage into the Columbia River, totaling nearly 600,000 gallons, in Sept. & Oct. 2017. News release. Penalty paid. | $60,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Cowlitz | Longview | 2/1/2019 | North Pacific Paper Company LLC | Violated permit limits for particulate matter releases to the air on Aug. 7, 2018, after failing to properly maintain pollution control equipment. Penalty paid. | $8,200 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Cowlitz | Longview | 2/27/2019 | Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company, LLC | Allowed air emissions to exceed visibility limits 19 times, June through Sept. 2018. Penalty paid. | $5,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6149 |
| Grays Harbor | Hoquiam | 1/31/2019 | John W Simons, Jr. | On July 26, 2017, the 43-foot wooden fishing vessel Perwyn sank at a private marina on the Hoquiam River discharging an estimated 50 gallons of diesel fuel to the water. The vessel owner did not notify state and federal authorities, and failed to clean up the spill. | $1,500 | Ty Keltner, 360-407-6990 |
| Grays Harbor | Hoquiam | 1/31/2019 | John W Simons, Jr. | On March 4, 2018, the 70-foot wooden fishing vessel Lady Grace sank in the Hoquiam River discharging an estimated 196 gallons of oil to the river. The vessel owner did not notify state and federal authorities, and failed to clean up the spill. Also assessed $29,023 for state cleanup costs. | $2,000 | Ty Keltner, 360-407-6990 |
| King | Tukwila | 2/6/2019 | Fatigue Technology, FTI | Violated dangerous waste regulations by failing to submit records to confirm proper designation of waste materials; provide a written training plan and personnel training records; label and date containers of dangerous waste. News release. Penalty appealed. | $17,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 2/6/2019 | Lafarge PNW, Inc. | Spilled petroleum-contaminated soil into the Duwamish River on Sept. 19, 2018, while unloading a barge, when a super sack fell onto the dock, tore open, and some of the contents entered the water. Spilled soil later recovered from river bottom, barge deck and dock. Penalty paid. | $2,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 2/13/2019 | Seattle Iron and Metals Corp. | Violated pollution limits 43 times on discharges into the Duwamish River, and failed to maintain facilities that protect the waterway from untreated stormwater in 2017 and 2018. News release. Penalty paid. | $98,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Bellevue | 3/15/2019 | Kuney Construction | Allowed muddy water from a construction site to overflow into a wetland and Kelsey Creek, when a pump for the site’s approved stormwater collection system was removed without authorization. The company had recently built the wetland to offset the project’s impacts to other wetlands in the same watershed. Penalty paid. | $2,500 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Pacific | South Bend | 3/1/2019 | Sunfeather Lightdancer Bay Center | On March 4, 2017, the 49 year-old, 125-foot, wood-hulled, ex-Antarctic research vessel Hero sank at its mooring at a private floating dock in the Palix River. As a result of the sinking, oil continuously spilled for nearly a month, impacting local oyster-growing operations located just downstream. Also assessed $28,870 in state cleanup costs. | $1,200 | Ty Keltner, 360-407-6990 |
| Skagit | Sedro Woolley | 3/6/2019 | Peace Health United General | Failed to register an underground storage tank, installed in 1993, that supplies diesel fuel for an emergency generator. Also ordered to comply with requirements to prevent and detect leaks from the tank and related piping and pumps. Penalty paid. | $2,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 1/14/2019 | Steve Davis Excavating | Repeatedly allowed muddy stormwater to run off to sensitive wetlands from the Kaiserwood Subdivision development, violating construction stormwater permit. Caused by lack of flow control and stabilization. Penalty paid. | $2,500 | Jeff Zenk, 360-407-6239 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 1/14/2019 | Straight Line Construction | Repeatedly allowed muddy stormwater to run off to sensitive wetlands from the Kaiserwood Subdivision development, violating construction stormwater permit. Caused by lack of flow control and stabilization. Penalty paid. | $2,500 | Jeff Zenk, 360-407-6239 |
| Walla Walla | Burbank | 2/4/2019 | Sun Pacific Energy | Violated underground storage tank regulations related to fuel storage and operations. Installed new tanks without notifying Ecology and received fuel illegally for the past year, without pollution liability insurance or tank endorsements. Paid $800 under settlement of penalty appeal. | $1,700 | Ryan Lancaster, 509-329-3509 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 11/9/2018 | Intalco Aluminum Corp. | Violated its air permit 11 different times in 2017 and 2018, releasing fluoride and particulate matter beyond required limits into the air and surrounding environment. | $27,500 | 360-407-6932 |
| Yakima | Sunnyside | 2/27/2019 | Bleyhl Farm Service, Inc. | Failed to comply with underground storage tank requirements for operator training, emergency response signage, leak detection and closure requirements at its Eastway Drive fueling station. Penalty paid. | $1,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Yakima | Sunnyside | 2/27/2019 | Bleyhl Farm Service, Inc. | Failed to comply with underground storage tank requirements for operator training, emergency response signage, leak detection and closure requirements at its Lincoln Street fueling station. Penalty paid. | $1,500 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |