DEQ issues 16 penalties in July for environmental violations
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 16 penalties totaling $277,503 in July for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.
Fines ranged from $4,148 to $67,925. Alleged violations include a painting company allowing dock stain to fall into the Columbia River, a mining and quarry facility discharging water to an irrigation canal, and a golf course discharging retention pond water into a nearby creek.
DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:
• AM DRI Willamette, LLC, $17,261, Portland, stormwater
• Archer Daniels Midland Co., $6,558, Portland, stormwater
• Cascade Development Properties - 4, LLC, $19,811, Estacada, stormwater
• City of Gresham, $6,000, Gresham, stormwater
• Enerfin Resources, $28,892, Mist, wastewater
• Grant County, $4,148, John Day, underground storage tanks
• Hartman & Sons Painting, $8,400, Camas, water quality
• JAE, Inc., $11,817, Tualatin, air quality
• Knife River Corporation NW, $20,822, Prineville, wastewater
• Mid-Valley Gravel Company, $16,800, Philomath, stormwater
• Oregon Oils Inc., $8,400, Portland, water quality
• Swaggart Bros. Inc, $19,869, Boardman, stormwater
• Umpqua Golf Management LLC, $14,400, Sutherlin, water quality
• Waste Management of Oregon, Inc. (Newberg Transfer Station), $8,400, Newberg, land quality
• Western Wire Works, Inc., $18,000, Portland, stormwater
• Willamette Graystone LLC, $67,925, Wood Village, stormwater
Organizations or individuals must either pay the fines or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at https://ordeq.org/sep.
Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm.
DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon’s air, land and water. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.
Media contact: Lauren Wirtis, public affairs specialist, 503-568-3295, lauren.wirtis@deq.oregon.gov
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