DEQ issues 13 enforcement actions in April for environmental violations

Statewide, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 13 penalties totaling $3,425,054 in April for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at ordeq.org/enforcement.

Fines ranged from $5,200 to $2,985,262. Alleged violations included a seafood processing company that exceeded pollution discharge limits at several of its facilities and failed to install a wastewater treatment system at its Charleston facility; a painting contractor that performed an unlicensed asbestos project, failed to perform an asbestos survey and improperly disposed of asbestos containing waste; and a metal casting facility that improperly managed hazardous waste, which posed a fire risk.

DEQ issued civil penalties to the following entities:

• Christine and Alexander Tsarnas, Wolf Creek, $14,053, solid waste
• City of Wilsonville, Wilsonville, $10,400, wastewater
• Confederal Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation – Imtwaha Fish Hatchery, Milton-Freewater, $5,200, wastewater
• Kenneth Ferguson, Prineville, $10,709, solid waste
• NW Cascade Painting, LLC, Portland, $40,268, asbestos
• Oak Lodge Wastewater Treatment Plant, Milwaukie, $7,200, wastewater
• Pacific Bio Products – Warrenton, LLC, Warrenton, $104,800, wastewater
• Pacific Cast Technologies, Albany, $50,780, hazardous waste
• Pacific Seafood – Brookings, LLC, Brookings, $114,000, wastewater
• Pacific Seafood – Charleston, LLC, Charleston, $2,985,262, wastewater
• PMP Properties, Portland, $12,000, stormwater
• PNW Metal Recycling, Inc., doing business as Rivergate Scrap Metals, Portland, $51,000, air quality
• Rusty B. Taylor, Garibaldi, $19,382, stormwater

Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury 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 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: Michael Loch, public affairs specialist, michael.loch@deq.oregon.gov, 503-737-9435

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