Department of Ecology News Release - August 26, 2019

Summary of environmental penalties issued in the second quarter of 2019

OLYMPIA  – 

The Washington Department of Ecology issued $46,500 in penalties of $1,000 or more from April through June 2019. A detailed list of the violations and resulting penalties is available 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.

In some cases, the amount of money owed may be reduced with a settlement or court ruling. 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 harm.

Penalties issued April through June, 2019

County City Date issued Recipient Description Amount Contact
Adams Lind 4/1/2019 Swinerton Renewable Energy Left bare soil exposed on a construction site, resulting in muddy stormwater runoff that damaged adjacent property and washed sediment into city storm drains. Penalty paid. $3,000 Ryan Lancaster
509-329-3509
Clark Camas 5/9/2019 Georgia Pacific Consumer Products Spilled black liquor (waste product of pulping process) to the wastewater treatment plant and outfall in April 2018. Penalty paid. $8,000 Jeff Zenk,
360-407-6239
Clark Washougal 6/6/2019 AllWeather Wood LLC Violated the water quality permit limit for hexavalent chromium (an industrial manufacturing compound) in Feb. 2019. $3,000 Jeff Zenk,
360-407-6239
Clark Ridgefield 4/9/2019 Glavin Development, LLC Failed to submit monthly construction stormwater discharge monitoring reports, April through Dec. 2017, for work on the Courtney Acres development project. Penalty paid. $3,000 Colleen Keltz
360-407-6408
Grays Harbor Cosmopolis 5/9/2019 Cosmo Specialty Fibers Inc. Violated water quality permit limits for biochemical oxygen demand and bacteria, and failed to monitor water discharges from Sept. 2018 to Jan. 2019. Penalty paid. $8,000 Dave Bennett
360-407-6149
King Bellevue 5/6/2019 Shimmick/Parsons Joint Venture Left a valve open, allowing about 10,000 galllons of muddy water to discharge from a dewatering well for the Sound Transit Eastside Link project into Mercer Slough. Penalty paid. $1,500 Larry Altose,
425-649-7009
King Seattle 5/6/2019 City of Seattle Violated state water quality permit conditions with three sanitary sewer overflows and one late report in 2017 and 2018. The combined sewer overflows also violated a legal agreement with Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Penalty paid. $8,500 Larry Altose,
425-649-7009
Okanogan Oroville 5/23/2019 K&M Fuel LLC Failed to comply with requirements related to detecting, reporting and preventing leaks from underground storage tanks. $1,700 Joye Redfield-Wilder
509-575-2610
Okanogan Oroville 6/27/2019 K&M Fuel LLC Failed to comply with requirements related to detecting, reporting and preventing leaks from underground storage tanks. $1,300 Joye Redfield-Wilder
509-575-2610
Snohomish Lake Stevens 4/9/2019 Joel Haack Failed to submit monthly construction stormwater discharge monitoring reports, April through Dec. 2017, for work on the Camilla Meadows development project. Penalty paid. $3,000 Larry Altose,
425-649-7009
Spokane Spokane 6/19/2019 Spokane Recycling LLC Failed to submit pollution prevention plans or complete maintenance inspections required under a water quality permit. Had non-functional storm drains and catch basins due to lack of maintenance. Penalty appealed. $3,000 Ryan Lancaster
509-329-3509
Walla Walla Walla Walla 6/21/2019 Hayden Homes, Inc. Repeatedly placed concrete waste on the ground next to a swale causing wastewater to flow over the curb. Water exposed to concrete waste can become very caustic and harm the environment. $2,500 Ryan Lancaster
509-329-3509

Contact information

Ryan Lancaster
Communications
509-329-3509 or 360-584-3271
Twitter: EcySpokane