Oregon DEQ Issues $105,755 in Penalties for Environmental Violations

Oregon — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued seven penalties totaling $105,755 in August for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.

Fines ranged from $4,000 to $29,600. Alleged violations included a particleboard manufacturing facility failing to reduce methanol emissions as required by their permit, a commercial real estate and development firm operating construction activities without a permit, and a general contractor conducting unlicensed asbestos abatement and failing to properly package and dispose of asbestos containing waste material.

DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:

• Amazon Data Services, Inc., Hermiston, $10,400, water quality
• Central Transport, LLC & Crown Enterprises, LLC, Portland, $29,600, stormwater
• MPC Builders, LLC, Philomath, $4,000, cleanup
• Nusan General Contractors Inc., Salem, $28,800, asbestos
• Performance Contracting Inc., Portland, $8,000, stormwater
• Willamette Egg Farms, LLC, Canby, $9,355, stormwater
• Woodgrain, Inc., La Grande $15,600, air quality

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 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.