The Washington State Department of Ecology issued a $71,800 penalty to Chad Williams for first damaging wetlands on property he owns near Camas, and then failing to comply with an agreement he signed in 2022 to restore and mitigate the damage.
In addition, Clark County Superior Court issued Williams a court order in August 2024 that requires him to comply with the agreed order he signed. Williams continues to defy the court order.
Joenne McGerr, program manager for the agency’s Shorelands and Environmental Assistance program, said the property owner needs to meet the terms of his agreement to restore and mitigate the damaged wetlands.
“Wetlands play a critical role protecting water quality in our state, reducing flood damage, and creating habitat,” McGerr said. “Williams intentionally did work that damaged known wetlands on his property without a permit. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to assist him, he has avoided and neglected his responsibility.”
While Williams received city approval for the work, he was also told he needed a permit from Ecology before beginning construction. He cleared plants and filled wetlands on his property without the agency’s approval and built a house, driveway, and outdoor shop. Covering wetlands with dirt or physical structures destroys the wetland. Ecology must review projects that affect wetlands before work begins.
The agency initially learned about the damage by conducting a site visit and observed that the wetlands were already cleared and filled. Ecology discussed options with Williams to restore or mitigate the damage, leading to a signed document called an agreed order.
The agreement listed actions Williams agreed to take to comply with the law. This included reimbursing a company to do wetland restoration work at another site to make up for the wetland damage, and restoring native plants on Williams’ property.
The agency worked with Williams on this issue for the past two years, including extending deadlines so he had more time to fix it. Ecology reached out to Williams at least 15 times over the course of two years to:
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Request status updates.
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Remind him to complete what he had agreed to.
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Offer him an alternative pathway to get this work done.
Ecology communicated with Williams multiple times that a penalty was going to be the next step if he didn’t follow through on the agreement.
The wetlands on Williams’ property hold water to help minimize flooding downstream from the area. Managing wetlands is important because healthy wetlands protect water quality, reduce flooding, replenish drinking water through aquifers, and provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife.
Williams has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal it to Washington’s Pollution Control Hearing Board.