The Washington Department of Ecology issued $1,035,200 in penalties of $1,000 or more in the first three months of 2020. A detailed list of the violations and resulting penalties appears in the table 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.
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 through March 2020
|
County |
City |
Date issued |
Recipient |
Description |
Amount |
Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Benton |
Richland |
1/06/2020 |
U.S. Dept. |
The U.S. Department of Energy restricted state access to critical data vital to Ecology’s regulatory and oversight role at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. |
$1,000,000 |
509- |
|
Columbia |
Dayton |
1/27/2020 |
Pik A Pop, |
Did not provide proof that annual registration fees for two underground storage tanks were paid. Did not provide required documentation of corrosion protection or leak detection for the tanks. |
$1,900 |
509- |
|
Columbia |
Dayton |
2/13/2020 |
Bryon Seney |
Illegally burned prohibited materials at a large solid waste dump site. |
$3,000 |
509- |
|
Columbia |
Waitsburg |
2/28/2020 |
Clyde Burdine |
Illegally burned construction/demolition debris and processed wood in a large fire pit. |
$3,000 |
509- |
|
Cowlitz |
Kalama |
2/5/2020 |
Emerald Kalama |
Violated the facility’s water quality permit by late submittal of a Pollution Prevention Plan Biennial Progress Report, and by exceeding maximum daily and average monthly limits for total suspended solids in wastewater discharges. |
$1,500 |
360- |
|
Franklin |
Pasco |
2/3/2020 |
Pacific NW |
Operated an unknown and unpermitted reactor to produce 585 tons of 10-34 fertilizer at Two Rivers Terminal. |
$5,000 |
509-329-3509 |
|
Garfield |
Pomeroy |
2/4/2020 |
Gas N Go, |
Did not provide proof that annual registration fees for two underground storage tanks were paid. Also did not provide insurance, display registration tags, or comply with service provider certification requirements. |
$1,800 |
509- |
|
King |
Maple Valley |
3/2/2020 |
Hayes Sand
|
Did not submit quarterly water quality discharge monitoring reports in all 4 quarters of 2019. Previously fined $1,500 for failing to submit reports in 2018. |
$3,000 |
425- |
|
San Juan |
Friday Harbor |
2/26/2020 |
Egg Lake |
Did not submit quarterly water quality discharge monitoring reports in all 4 quarters of 2019, and did not respond to a notice of violation issued on Nov. 26, 2019. |
$2,000 |
425- |
|
Snohomish |
Granite Falls |
2/26/2020 |
Wetlands |
Did not submit quarterly water quality discharge monitoring reports for facilities in Monroe and Granite Falls for the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2019. Both facilities received a notice of violation in 2017 for not submitting reports. |
$3,000 |
425- |
|
Spokane |
Spokane |
1/23/2020 |
Spokane |
Did not designate solid waste prior to disposal and follow regulatory procedures for designating waste as dangerous or extremely hazardous. |
$6,000 |
509- |
|
Spokane |
Spokane |
2/3/2020 |
Zin Food Mart |
Did not provide proof of insurance, leak detection, or payment of annual registration fees for underground storage tanks. Did not comply with service provider certification requirements. |
$1,900 |
509- |
|
Spokane |
Spokane |
3/13/2020 |
Allen’s GTX Truck Stop |
Did not provide proof that annual registration fees for two underground storage tanks were paid. Did not provide corrosion protection or proof that leak detection was being performed on the tanks. |
$1,900 |
509- |
|
Whatcom |
Sumas |
3/5/2020 |
Sumas |
Did not comply with underground storage tank requirements for reporting, recordkeeping, and release detection. |
$1,200 |
425- |
|
Pacific |
South |
12/30/2019 |
Gary Lewis |
This case was mistakenly omitted from the 4th Quarter, 2019, list of penalties. On March 10, 2019, the fishing vessel St. Michele sank and spilled 20 gallons of diesel to the Willapa River. The owner’s unsuccessful salvage attempt caused all the rest of the fuel aboard to escape to the river. |
$1,400 |
360- |