The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined Kauffman Crushing Inc. $14,870 for violating its water quality permit at its active mine off Eckman Creek Road in Waldport. The company, which operates Eckman Creek Quarries, has a 1200-A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit that allows it to discharge certain types of stormwater to Eckman Creek under specific conditions. The company discharged from an unauthorized outfall in violation of its permit and failed to perform monitoring required under the permit. Monitoring stormwater discharge is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of pollution controls. In addition, staff from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries observed antifreeze containers, a fuel tank and containers of oil and grease stored in an uncontained area next to a sediment pond in September 2017. The permit holder must store all hazardous substances within berms or other contained areas to prevent stormwater from washing any materials that leak or spill into waterways. During that inspection, the Stormwater Pollution Control Plan required under the water quality permit didn’t include the latest permit requirements. DEQ is requiring the company to update its plan within 15 days of the department order becoming final. The company has until April 3 to appeal the penalty.
