DEQ release – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 8 penalties totaling $149,191 in January for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $5,100 to $57,350. Alleged violations included a company transporting hazardous waste without proper documentation, wastewater facilities discharging more pollution than allowed by their permits, and a manure-to-energy facility failing to conduct a required annual emissions test. DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations and individuals: Advanced Chemical Transport, Inc., Clackamas, $20,400, hazardous waste; Advantis Credit Union, Oregon City, $6,000, stormwater; Arnprior Aerospace Portland, Inc., Portland, $10,716, stormwater; Black Butte Ranch, Sisters, $5,100, wastewater; City of Sweet Home, Sweet Home, $22,625, wastewater; RSG Forest Products, Inc., Liberal, $9,600, wastewater; Teeny Foods Corporation, Portland, $57,350, air quality; WOF PNW Threemile Project LLC, Boardman, $17,400, air quality. 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.
