DEQ release – Statewide, Ore.— The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 17 penalties totaling $305,021 in October for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $1,410 to $106,778. Alleged violations included a city discharging untreated sewage, a vape company improperly handling hazardous wastes, and a trucking company not immediately reporting and cleaning up an oil spill. This includes a combined $134,378 penalty to the Winchester Water Control District and TerraFirma Foundation Repair Inc. for water quality violations during Winchester Dam repairs, which DEQ announced on Oct. 26. DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations and individuals: Along the Coast – Alpha Omega Trucking, Brookings, $10,400, spills; In Douglas Co. – Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Roseburg, $3,450 for 401 water quality certification; PacifiCorp, Roseburg, $1,600, hazardous waste; TerraFirma Foundation Repair Inc., Winchester, $27,600, causing pollution to waters; Winchester Water Control District, Winchester, $106,778 for 401 water quality certification. 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.
