DEQ release – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 11 penalties totaling $231,281 in March for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $450 to $87,600. Alleged violations included hazardous waste violations by a metal plating company and a wood ceiling manufacturer, as well as a university not testing and maintaining underground fuel storage tanks. DEQ issued no civil penalties along the Oregon Coast. 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.
