Two companies fined by Oregon DEQ for unlicensed asbestos removal across Northeast Oregon
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, November 29th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
HUNTINGTON – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently fined two companies, Industrial Piping & Welding LLC and Marathon Pipe Line, LLC for issues regarding asbestos removal. These fines are the result of renovations carried out on the Boise-Pasco 6-8, a pipeline used to transport petroleum products and which crosses through Oregon from approximately Ontario to Pendleton.
Information provided from the DEQ indicates that from 2020 through 2024, Industrial Piping & Welding was contracted by Marton Pipe Line to carry out various asbestos abatement projects in Oregon along the pipe, including locations near Huntington, Helix, and Adams. These involved the removal of various segments of mastic/tar lining (which contained asbestos) from the pipe.
According to the DEQ, Industrial Piping & Welding carried out three of these projects without being licensed by the DEQ, failed to properly notify the DEQ of two of the projects, and submitted inaccurate information about a third project. On October 4, 2024, they were fined $23,600.
The DEQ further noted that Marathon Pipe Line allowed its contractors to conduct five unlicensed asbestos abatement projects, failed to notify the DEQ of at least four of the projects, and further provided inaccurate notifications to the DEQ. On October 4, 2024, they were fined $39,853.
In total, 14 organizations across Oregon were fined by the DEQ for October, totaling $266,787.
