DEQ Fines Seafood Processor, April 26

News release DEQ.  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued a $54,600 civil penalty to Da Yang Seafood, Inc., for unpermitted discharges of wastewater from their facility into the Columbia River without a permit. The facility is located at 45 Pier 2, Bldg. A, Astoria, OR. The violation addresses wastewater discharges on 240 occasions over a period of 15 months. Da Yang Seafood was previously penalized by DEQ in 2015 for discharging wastewater without a permit. DEQ advised the facility on July 15, 2015 that it would not take enforcement action on the unpermitted discharges if they applied for the required permit, and while waiting for issuance, also complied with the terms of the permit issued to other seafood processors. Da Yang Seafood applied for permit coverage, however from this date until September 2016, the facility failed on multiple occasions to comply with permit terms for protecting water quality – including permit effluent limits; effluent monitoring; and screening effluent prior to discharge. DEQ is currently drafting an individual wastewater discharge permit for Da Yang Seafood, Inc. Da Yang Seafood, Inc. appealed the penalty.