Department of Ecology News Release - Nov. 9, 2015

Environmental penalties for third quarter 2015

OLYMPIA –

The Washington Department of Ecology issued $413,536 in penalties of $1,000 or more from July through September 2015.

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 air, land or waters, Ecology enforces state and federal regulations in hopes of changing behavior and deterring future violations.

Penalties for July - September 2015

County	City	Date Issued	Recipients	Description	Amount	Media contact
Chelan	Malaga	7/29/15	Alcoa, Inc., Wenatchee Works	Violated permit limits by discharging too much aluminum, fluoride and suspended solids.	$36,000	Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610
Cowlitz	Keslo	8/24/15	Foster Farms	Releasing untreated chicken processing wastewater from its Kelso processing facility.	$44,000	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Cowlitz	Kelso	7/9/15	ALS Environmental	Hazardous waste violations were found during inspections. Original $25,000 penalty settled.	$16,667	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Jefferson	Brinnon	8/11/15	Vessel Avalon, Randy Schleich	On Sept. 14, 2014 the Avalon grounded in Pleasant Harbor spilling approximately 75 gallons of diesel.	$16,244	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
King	Kent	9/23/15	Western Metal Art and Sign	Failed to comply with order to properly manage and dispose of potentially hazardous waste at leased facility.	$10,000	Larry Altose, 425-649-7009
Kittitas	Cle Elum	7/17/15	Simpsons Texaco	Failure to comply with leak detection requirements for underground fuel storage tanks.	$1,100	Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610
Lincoln	Ford	9/2/15	Scott Wollweber	Illegally burning land clearing debris without a permit.	$2,000	Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478
Okanogan	Methow	9/22/15	Eric Zahn Property	Illegally burning without a permit including prohibited materials during a Stage 1 burn ban.	$2,175	Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610
Pierce	Tacoma	8/3/15	Emerald Services Inc.	Failure to follow dangerous waste permit requirements including prevention of spills and staff training.	$99,000	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Spokane	Spokane	9/8/15	TransCanada	Allowed a natural gas turbine to release uncontrolled nitrogen oxide emissions and failed to submit test results required by permit.	$4,000	Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478
Stevens	Chewelah	7/8/15	White Stone Calcium Inc.	Releasing uncontrolled particle pollution.	$5,000	Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478
Thurston	Olympia	7/17/15	Element, Kellen Mangan	Operating without a stormwater construction permit.	$1,500	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Thurston	Olympia	7/17/15	Lot 36 The Reserve, Kellen Mangan	Operating without a stormwater construction permit.	$1,500	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Thurston	Olympia	7/17/15	Evergreen Pointe, Kellen Mangan	Operating without a stormwater construction permit.	$1,500	Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239
Walla Walla	Touchet	8/18/15	Touchet Eastside	Illegally diverted water that was placed into trust to protect critical stream flows for threatened steelhead in the Touchet River.	$73,350	Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478
Whatcom	Ferndale	9/4/15	Jim and Victoria Snyder	Manure pollution discharged into California Creek. Lack of adequate covered manure storage, improper manure spreading, and accumulations of manure in pastures and confinement areas that slope to water bodies are cited as factors that led to the discharges.	$12,000	Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205
Whatcom	Lynden	7/30/15	Versacold Cascade Cold Storage Inc.	Continuing violations under the Industrial Stormwater General Permit, including an inadequate Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and failure to implement corrective actions.	$1,500	Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205
Whatcom	Van Zandt	8/10/15	BNSF at VanZandt	Placing polluting materials including dirt, rocks, and freshly treated railroad ties into water bodies in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Penalty appealed.	$86,000	Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205
					Total $413,536

Contact information

Brook Beeler

Communications manager

brook.beeler@ecy.wa.gov

509-329-3478

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Environmental penalties for third quarter 2015

Penalties for July - September 2015

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