Department of Ecology News Release - May 12, 2020

Environmental penalties for first quarter 2020

OLYMPIA  – 

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.
of Energy

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.
News release.

$1,000,000

Randy Bradbury

509-
420-3874

Columbia

Dayton

1/27/2020

Pik A Pop,
Ameristar store

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

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

Columbia

Dayton

2/13/2020

Bryon Seney

Illegally burned prohibited materials at a large solid waste dump site.

$3,000

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

Columbia

Waitsburg

2/28/2020

Clyde Burdine

Illegally burned construction/demolition debris and processed wood in a large fire pit.

$3,000

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

Cowlitz

Kalama

2/5/2020

Emerald Kalama
Chemical LLC

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

Dave Bennett

360-
407-6149

Franklin

Pasco

2/3/2020

Pacific NW
Solutions Inc.

Operated an unknown and unpermitted reactor to produce 585 tons of 10-34 fertilizer at Two Rivers Terminal.

$5,000

Ryan Lancaster

509-329-3509

Garfield

Pomeroy 

2/4/2020

Gas N Go,
Industrial Power
Corp store

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

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

King

Maple Valley

3/2/2020

Hayes Sand
& Gravel

 

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

Larry Altose

425-
649-7009

San Juan

Friday Harbor

2/26/2020

Egg Lake
Quarry

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

Larry Altose

425-
649-7009

Snohomish

Granite Falls
and Monroe

2/26/2020

Wetlands
Creation Inc.

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

Larry Altose

425-
649-7009

Spokane

Spokane

1/23/2020

Spokane
Public Schools
district, maintenance shop

Did not designate solid waste prior to disposal and follow regulatory procedures for designating waste as dangerous or extremely hazardous.

$6,000

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

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

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

Spokane

Spokane
Valley

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

Ryan Lancaster

509-
329-3509

Whatcom

Sumas  

3/5/2020

Sumas
Gas N Tote

Did not comply with underground storage tank requirements for reporting, recordkeeping, and release detection.

$1,200

Larry Altose

425-
649-7009

Pacific

South
Bend

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

Ty Keltner

360-
515-6868

Contact information

Larry Altose
Communications
425-649-7009
Twitter: ecologywa