The Washington Department of Ecology issued $198,160 in penalties of $1,000 or more Jan. through March in 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.
January - March 2015
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipients | Description | Amount | Media contact |
| Adams | Othello | 1/29/15 | Perfect Blend Organics | Failed to comply with air quality requirements including releasing excess particle pollution. Penalty under appeal | $32,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Asotin | Clarkston | 1/29/15 | Poe Asphalt Paving Inc. | Released excess particle pollution violating air quality requirements. Penalty paid. | $4,500 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Clallam | Beaver | 3/12/15 | Lake Pleasant Grocery | Failure to conduct yearly line leak detector tests. Failed to comply with multiple leak prevention and detection requirements for underground storage tanks. Penalty under appeal. | $1,000 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Clark | Washougal | 1/13/15 | Exterior Wood Inc | Discharged stormwater with high copper levels on several occasions. | $5,800 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Douglas | Orondo | 1/8/15 | John Christner Trucking LLC, Salupa, Okla. | Spilled up to 300 gallons of petroleum, including 75 gallons of diesel fuel to the Columbia River. Spill occurred when a tractor-trailer combination veered off US Highway 97 and drove into the Columbia River. | $1,100 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| King | Normandy Park | 3/3/15 | Southwest Suburban Sewer District | The Miller Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant released 2.5 million gallons of non-disinfected water to Puget Sound on Oct. 19-20, 2014, due to a disinfection failure. Penalty paid. | $1,500 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Renton | 1/15/15 | Road Construction Northwest, Inc. | Failed to install measures to control sediment runoff at a construction site. Penalty paid. | $1,500 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 1/12/15 | Alaskan Leader Fisheries LLC | Fishing vessel Bristol Leader discharged 181 gallons of diesel fuel to Elliott Bay on Sept. 13, 2013. Penalty paid. | $11,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 2/11/15 | Kathleen K Fisheries | Fishing vessel Kathleen K discharged 409 gallons of diesel fuel to Salmon Bay on Oct. 14, 2013. Penalty paid. | $3,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 3/13/15 | Bill Soderberg | The vessel Iver sank at its moorage and spilled 428 gallons of diesel fuel into the Lake Washington Ship Canal on Sept. 30, 2013. Vessel removed from the water for repairs. Penalty paid. Previously assessed $6,127 for damage to public natural resources. | $1,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Pierce | Sumner | 2/6/15 | Wastewater Treatment Sumner | Multiple violations of the Construction Stormwater General Permit. Three inspections were conducted (Jan. 6, 20 and 28, 2015) and documented multiple permit violations. | $1,500 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Pierce | Sumner | 2/12/15 | Michelson Knapp Land Venture | Multiple permit violations, operating without an active CSWGP, and violating Washington water quality standards. | $2,000 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Pierce | Tacoma | 2/19/15 | Nite & Day Grocery & Deli Mart | Failed to protect steel tanks and piping from corrosion. Failed to comply with corrosion protection requirements. No WA State business license permits for three tanks. | $1,400 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Pierce | Tacoma | 3/31/15 | Emerald Services Inc | In October 2013, an eruption spilled 1,900 gallons of recycled fuel oil/asphalt flux, a highly dangerous material, and injured a worker. Following that incident, a second spill occurred at the facility’s re-refinery in January 2014, spilling 150 gallons of the same material. Penalty under appeal. | $68,000 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Skagit | Bow | 3/12/15 | Blau Oyster Co | Repeatedly made late submittals of discharge monitoring reports (DMRs), and often sent only after reminder calls from Ecology. Penalty appealed. | $1,500 | Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205 |
| Snohomish | Everett | 1/14/15 | Snohomish River Properties LLC | Discharged muddy water into the Snohomish River, failed to conduct required inspections, allowed equipment to leak petroleum fluids onto bare ground. Penalty paid. | $8,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Spokane | Cheney | 2/19/15 | Mitchells IGA | Failed to comply with leak detection requirements for underground storage tanks. Penalty paid. | $1,200 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Spokane | Spokane | 1/12/15 | Divine Fastmart, Divine Corporation | Failed to comply with leak detection requirements and perform inspections for underground storage tanks. Penalty under appeal. | $6,600 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 3/11/15 | Ch2O Inc | Failed to designate wastes, take appropriate mitigation and control actions after a spill or discharge, and to provide classroom training or on-the-job training. | $45,560 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
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Total $198,160 |
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