Oregon DEQ penalizes Grant County for environmental violation
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY – Grant County is being fined over $4,000 from the Oregon DEQ for an environmental violation. According to a release today, the county is being stung for $4,148 regarding a violation with underground storage tanks in John Day. The county must either pay the fines or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. Find the full press release below:
(Press Release issued by the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Services)
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 16 penalties totaling $277,503 in July for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.
Fines ranged from $4,148 to $67,925. Alleged violations include a painting company allowing dock stain to fall into the Columbia River, a mining and quarry facility discharging water to an irrigation canal, and a golf course discharging retention pond water into a nearby creek.
DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:
- AM DRI Willamette, LLC, $17,261, Portland, stormwater
- Archer Daniels Midland Co., $6,558, Portland, stormwater
- Cascade Development Properties – 4, LLC, $19,811, Estacada, stormwater
- City of Gresham, $6,000, Gresham, stormwater
- Enerfin Resources, $28,892, Mist, wastewater
- Grant County, $4,148, John Day, underground storage tanks
- Hartman & Sons Painting, $8,400, Camas, water quality
- JAE, Inc., $11,817, Tualatin, air quality
- Knife River Corporation NW, $20,822, Prineville, wastewater
- Mid-Valley Gravel Company, $16,800, Philomath, stormwater
- Oregon Oils Inc., $8,400, Portland, water quality
- Swaggart Bros. Inc, $19,869, Boardman, stormwater
- Umpqua Golf Management LLC, $14,400, Sutherlin, water quality
- Waste Management of Oregon, Inc. (Newberg Transfer Station), $8,400, Newberg, land quality
- Western Wire Works, Inc., $18,000, Portland, stormwater
- Willamette Graystone LLC, $67,925, Wood Village, stormwater
Organizations or individuals must either pay the fines 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.
