DEQ release – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 14 penalties totaling $408,311 in April for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $4,470 to $203,129. Alleged violations included a wastewater facility discharging more pollution than allowed by its permit, a metal finisher illegally evaporating hazardous waste, and builders not implementing their erosion and sediment control plans at a solar power facility. DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations and individuals along the Coast: City of Myrtle Point, $46,050, Myrtle Point, wastewater; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Alsea Fish Hatchery, $16,980, Alsea, water quality. 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.
