The Washington Department of Ecology issued $413,536 in penalties of $1,000 or more from July through September 2015.
Ecology works with thousands of businesses and individuals to help them comply with state laws. Penalties are issued in cases where non-compliance continues after Ecology has provided technical assistance or warnings, or for particularly serious violations.
The money owed from penalties may be reduced from the issued amount due to settlement or court rulings. Funds collected go to the state’s general fund or to dedicated pollution prevention accounts.
Ecology strives to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment and promote wise management for current and future generations. When someone pollutes Washington’s air, land or waters, Ecology enforces state and federal regulations in hopes of changing behavior and deterring future violations.
Penalties for July - September 2015
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipients | Description | Amount | Media contact |
| Chelan | Malaga | 7/29/15 | Alcoa, Inc., Wenatchee Works | Violated permit limits by discharging too much aluminum, fluoride and suspended solids. | $36,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Cowlitz | Keslo | 8/24/15 | Foster Farms | Releasing untreated chicken processing wastewater from its Kelso processing facility. | $44,000 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Cowlitz | Kelso | 7/9/15 | ALS Environmental | Hazardous waste violations were found during inspections. Original $25,000 penalty settled. | $16,667 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Jefferson | Brinnon | 8/11/15 | Vessel Avalon, Randy Schleich | On Sept. 14, 2014 the Avalon grounded in Pleasant Harbor spilling approximately 75 gallons of diesel. | $16,244 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| King | Kent | 9/23/15 | Western Metal Art and Sign | Failed to comply with order to properly manage and dispose of potentially hazardous waste at leased facility. | $10,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| Kittitas | Cle Elum | 7/17/15 | Simpsons Texaco | Failure to comply with leak detection requirements for underground fuel storage tanks. | $1,100 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Lincoln | Ford | 9/2/15 | Scott Wollweber | Illegally burning land clearing debris without a permit. | $2,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Okanogan | Methow | 9/22/15 | Eric Zahn Property | Illegally burning without a permit including prohibited materials during a Stage 1 burn ban. | $2,175 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Pierce | Tacoma | 8/3/15 | Emerald Services Inc. | Failure to follow dangerous waste permit requirements including prevention of spills and staff training. | $99,000 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Spokane | Spokane | 9/8/15 | TransCanada | Allowed a natural gas turbine to release uncontrolled nitrogen oxide emissions and failed to submit test results required by permit. | $4,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Stevens | Chewelah | 7/8/15 | White Stone Calcium Inc. | Releasing uncontrolled particle pollution. | $5,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 7/17/15 | Element, Kellen Mangan | Operating without a stormwater construction permit. | $1,500 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 7/17/15 | Lot 36 The Reserve, Kellen Mangan | Operating without a stormwater construction permit. | $1,500 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Thurston | Olympia | 7/17/15 | Evergreen Pointe, Kellen Mangan | Operating without a stormwater construction permit. | $1,500 | Chase Gallagher, 360-407-6239 |
| Walla Walla | Touchet | 8/18/15 | Touchet Eastside | Illegally diverted water that was placed into trust to protect critical stream flows for threatened steelhead in the Touchet River. | $73,350 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 9/4/15 | Jim and Victoria Snyder | Manure pollution discharged into California Creek. Lack of adequate covered manure storage, improper manure spreading, and accumulations of manure in pastures and confinement areas that slope to water bodies are cited as factors that led to the discharges. | $12,000 | Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205 |
| Whatcom | Lynden | 7/30/15 | Versacold Cascade Cold Storage Inc. | Continuing violations under the Industrial Stormwater General Permit, including an inadequate Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and failure to implement corrective actions. | $1,500 | Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205 |
| Whatcom | Van Zandt | 8/10/15 | BNSF at VanZandt | Placing polluting materials including dirt, rocks, and freshly treated railroad ties into water bodies in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Penalty appealed. | $86,000 | Krista Kenner, 360-715-5205 |
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Total $413,536 |
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