6/24/2024
Oregon – Official Release: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 12 penalties totaling $357,009 in May for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $1,275 to $150,000. Alleged violations included multiple facilities that failed to submit complete greenhouse gas emissions data reports to DEQ, a seafood processing facility that discharged wastewater to the Columbia River without a permit, and a retail home improvement warehouse and distribution center failing to conduct hazardous waste determinations over a period of three years.
DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations and individuals:
- Alsea Quarries 1 LLC, Alsea, $7,727, stormwater
- Astoria Pacific Seafoods LLC, Astoria, $22,800, wastewater
- City of Gervais, Gervais, $1,275, wastewater
- City of Portland, Portland, $4,400, greenhouse gas
- Da Yang Seafoods, Astoria, $150,000, wastewater
- Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., Salem, $25,973, hazardous waste
- Oregon Treehouse Partners LLC, Cloverdale, $43,588, stormwater
- Pembina Midstream (U.S.), Inc., Houston, $7,200, greenhouse gas
- Port of Astoria, Astoria, $28,800, stormwater
- Rice Hill Owner’s Association, Inc., Yoncalla, $51,407, wastewater
- S-C Paving Company, Tillamook, $6,405, stormwater
- Valmont Industries, Inc., Tualatin, $7,434, stormwater
Organizations or individuals 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 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: Antony Vorobyov, public affairs specialist, 503-887-9113, antony.vorobyov@deq.oregon.gov.
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