The Washington Department of Ecology issued $89,500 in penalties of $1,000 or more January through March in 2016.
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 January - March 2016
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipients | Description | Amount | Media contact |
| Clallam | Port Angeles | 2/10/16 | Nippon Paper Industries USA CO | Violated water quality discharge limits for total suspended solids on Nov. 30 & Dec. 2, 2015. Penalty paid. | $1,000 | Andy Wineke, 360-407-6149 |
| Clark | Vancouver | 3/16/16 | Cascade Bridge LLC | Discharged muddy stormwater into a tributary to Burnt Bridge Creek on Dec. 4, 7, & 8, 2015 during construction on the Wash. Dept. of Transportation I-205 Mill Plain to NE 18th St. project. Under appeal. News release. | $33,000 | Sandy Howard, 360-407-6408 |
| Clark | Vancouver | 1/14/16 | Shanska General Contractor | Failed to implement and maintain practices required under Construction Stormwater General Permit on Jan. 12, 2016 at the Clark College STEM Building project site. Under appeal. | $2,500 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6239 |
| Grant | Moses Lake | 11/2/15 | Rick Raymond | Illegally disposed construction debris and lumber by burning and burned during a Grant County burn ban. Penalty paid. | $1,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Grant | Warden | 3/22/16 | Steve Estrada | Illegally disposing of trash by burning in two metal containers. Penalty paid. | $2,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Grant | Othello | 1/5/16 | Teresas Orchard Apple King | Burning orchard debris piles without a permit and using a burn barrel to illegally dispose of trash. Penalty paid. . | $2,500 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Grays Harbor | Ocean Shores | 3/30/16 | Captain Russel Eager, Renton | Spilled 562 gal. of diesel fuel when the fishing vessel Tamara went aground in the surf on Aug. 11, 2015. Also assessed $5,353.27 for state response costs and $26,238.04 for damage to public natural resources. Penalty appealed. | $4,500 | Lisa Copeland, 360-407-6990 |
| King | Enumclaw | 2/17/16 | Liberty Meadows Plant | Failed to employ or maintain practices required under construction stormwater general permit, resulting in muddy stormwater discharges from 10-acre construction site into city stormwater system, which empties to Boise Creek, a salmon-bearing stream. Under appeal. | $5,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 2/19/16 | Randy D. Corn, Camano Island | Recreational vessel Invincible released 15 gal. of gasoline into Lake Washington at Spinnaker Bay Marina during salvage operations after sinking on Oct. 17, 2015. | $1,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 3/3/16 | JCM Northlink LLC | Discharged approx. 1,000 gal of construction site wastewater from Sound Transit Northlink project at Northgate tunnel portal into Thornton Creek stream system. Penalty paid. | $2,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Kittitas | Hyak | 2/2/16 | Guy F. Atkinson Construction, LLC | Discharge of high pH stormwater at I-90 construction site on Snoqualmie Pass. News Release. Under appeal. | $18,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Skagit | Cockreham Island, near Lyman | 1/4/16 | U.S. Golden Eagle Farms LP | Irrigated 200 acres in the spring & summer of 2015 without water rights authorization, in violation of a 2012 cease and desist order. Under appeal. News release. | $16,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 3/25/16 | Intalco Aluminum Corp. | Exceeded water quality permit limts for total suspended solids discharged on Nov. 16, 2015. Penalty paid. | $1,000 | Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205 |
| Yakima | Sunnyside | 3/10/16 | Park N Pak | Failure to comply with underground storage tank release detection requirements at fueling station. | $1,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
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