The Washington Department of Ecology issued $2,148,900 in penalties of $1,000 or more October through December 2019. A detailed list of the violations and resulting penalties are listed below.
Ecology works with thousands of businesses and individuals to help them comply with state laws. Ecology issues penalties in cases where non-compliance continues after providing warnings or technical assistance, or for particularly serious violations.
In some cases, the penalty amount may be reduced as the result of 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 violations.
Penalties for October through December 2019
| County | City | Date issued | Recipient | Description | Amount | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clallam
|
Port Angeles |
11/15/2019 |
Troy Cole |
One gallon of diesel spilled from the cargo vessel Green Crystal to Port Angeles Harbor. |
$1,200 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Clark |
Vancouver |
12/7/2019 |
Snappy’s Gas and Groceries |
Failure to comply with requirements that prevent and detect underground fuel storage tank leaks. |
$1,200 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Douglas |
East Wenatchee |
12/23/2019 |
PNW Property Ventures LLC |
Burned prohibited materials in violation of their agricultural burn permit, including demolition debris from a structure. Prohibited material included plastics, insulation, asphalt roofing materials, rubber hoses, appliances, painted lumber and household garbage. |
$8,500 |
509-575-2610 |
|
Franklin |
Pasco |
10/11/2019 |
Pacific Northwest Solutions, LLC |
Failed to complete a required source test on their portable reactor as required in their Compliance Order. |
$5,000 |
509-329-3509 |
|
Grant |
Soap Lake |
11/1/2019 |
David Ewing |
Burned prohibited materials in an unattended outdoor fire, prompting emergency response. This is the fourth occurrence of an illegal burn at this property. |
$3,000 |
509-329-3509 |
|
Jefferson |
Port Townsend |
12/20/2019 |
Port Townsend Paper |
From Oct. 21 through Oct. 23, 2019, Port Townsend Paper Corporation spilled about 165,000 gallons of partially treated process wastewater from a leak coming from the 36-inch outfall line. |
$4,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Jefferson |
Port Hadlock |
10/3/2019 |
Star Marine Incorporated |
Penalty was issued for unpermitted sandblasting and descaling that took place on a barge located in the water in Port Hadlock. |
$4,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
King |
Bellevue |
12/5/2019 |
Tiki Car Wash |
Failed to comply with regulations to prevent and detect leaks from underground storage tanks. |
$1,000 |
425-649-7009 |
|
King |
Seattle |
10/8/2019 |
Mark Alwert |
A deckhand accidently engaged a pump that discharged 20 gallons of oily bilge water from the fishing vessel Katherine into Salmon Bay at Fishermen’s Terminal on Sept. 13, 2018, and failed to report or clean up the spill. |
$1,000 |
425-649-7009 |
|
King |
Seattle |
11/5/2019 |
King County Wastewater Treatment Division |
Violated state water quality permit conditions that regulate combined sewer overflows from parts of the county’s sewer collection system. Penalty paid (half to Ecology, half to EPA). |
$105,500 |
425-649-7009 |
|
Okanogan |
Brewster |
11/22/2019 |
Gebbers Farms Inc. |
Conducted agricultural burning during an Ecology Stage1 burn ban, which prohibits all outdoor burning, including agricultural, to protect air quality. |
$2,500 |
509-575-2610 |
|
Pierce |
Puyallup |
12/14/2019 |
Circle K Store 5505 BP Oil |
Site only had 3 of 12 months of Continuous Statistical Leak Detection reports. Regular monthly reporting helps detect leaking fuel tanks. |
$1,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Pierce |
Sumner |
12/20/2019 |
Sonoco Products Co |
Water samples from the outfall tested above the state limit for fecal coliform. |
$4,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Pierce |
Tacoma |
10/7/2019 |
Stericycle-Tacoma, doing business as Burlington Environmental LLC |
The company mismanaged hazardous waste, leading to a significant fire on July 5, 2018, and a smaller fire Nov. 22, 2018. An August 2018 compliance inspection found the company failed to safely store hazardous wastes, separate incompatible wastes, and adequately train its staff. News release |
$1,956,000 |
360-407-6932 |
|
Pierce |
Tacoma |
12/2/2019 |
George Russell Jr. and Jaimie Venters |
A sheen reported throughout Commencement Bay was linked to a 308-gallon oil spill from the yacht Shadowfax. |
$4,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Skagit |
Anacortes |
11/12/2019 |
Marine Servicenter |
Allowed polluted stormwater to flow into Fidalgo Bay by failing to implement best practices as required by the boatyard general permit. News release |
$30,000 |
425-649-7009 |
|
Thurston |
Yelm |
11/8/2019 |
Mike Wood Rock Pit |
Has been operating without a permit since 2016. |
$2,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Thurston |
Tumwater |
10/29/2019 |
Tumwater Falls Hatchery Redevelopment |
A contractor working on the hatchery redevelopment project violated Construction Stormwater General Permit conditions by not properly sampling, not updating their Pollution Prevention Plan, and not following best management practices during a storm. |
$1,000 |
360-407-6239 |
|
Whatcom |
Blaine |
10/4/2019 |
BP Cherry Point Refinery |
Dangerous waste containers had incomplete labels; improper management of universal wastes; and missing inspection logs. |
$8,000 |
425-649-7009 |
|
Yakima |
Yakima |
11/6/2019 |
American Medical Response Yakima |
Improperly disposed of dangerous waste, including pharmaceuticals, down a drain that led to the public wastewater treatment plant. In addition, disposed dangerous waste mixed with biomedical waste to the garbage. Penalty paid. |
$6,000 |
509-575-2610 |