The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined Nehalem River Dredging Inc. $11,200 for allowing oil to enter the Nehalem River. During maintenance activities on the vessel Eland on or about April 10 this year, Nehalem River Dredging spilled diesel fuel on the vessel’s deck, which then entered the Nehalem River. Since the spill was not cleaned up, the oil continued to drip into the Nehalem River on the following day. DEQ has assessed a penalty for allowing the fuel to enter the river. The company also failed to immediately contain, collect and remove the oil which entered the river. DEQ is citing the company, but not issuing a penalty for this secondary violation. DEQ issued this penalty because discharging oil into the river is a serious violation of Oregon environmental law. Spilling oil or petroleum products into the river has negative environmental impacts on aquatic life and ecosystems. DEQ is concerned with the adverse impacts and cumulative effects that numerous spills of this kind could have on the Nehalem River’s water quality and on Oregon’s water quality in general. Nehalem River Dredging performed work to minimize the effects of the violation by replacing saturated absorbent pads, cleaning up the diesel fuel from the Eland’s deck, and placing an absorbent boom around the vessel. DEQ considered these efforts when determining the amount of the civil penalty. The company has until July 29 to pay or appeal the penalty.
