Boise Cascade Elgin fined for discharging stormwater into Phillips Creek
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
ELGIN – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently published a list of 10 environmental violation penalties issued for February. Fines ranged from $1,600 to $27,785 and totaled $145,903, covering various violations.
Boise Cascade Wood Products, LLC, based in Elgin, was specifically fine $9,600 dollars for a stormwater violation. According to the DEQ, the company violated a water quality standard by “discharging turbid stormwater to Phillips Creek, causing it to turn dark in color,” which was noted as having a fish and aquatic life impact.
The fine was issued on February 24 and received on February 27.
According to the DEQ, Boise Cascade, along with all other penalized entities, must either pay the fine to the state treasury or offset a portion of the penalty by “funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment.”
