The Washington Department of Ecology issued $570,900 in penalties of $1,000 or more July through September 2017. A large penalty to King County for sewage spilling from the West Point treatment plant accounted for $361,000 of the total amount of fines for the third quarter.
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 land, air or waters, Ecology enforces state and federal regulations in hopes of changing behavior and deterring future violations.
Penalties for July - September 2017
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipients | Description | Amount | Media contact |
| Adams | Lind | 9/29/17 | Remie Deruwe of Connell, Franklin County | Burned prohibited materials in a trench 7 feet deep by 5 feet wide and approximately 60 feet long. Burn areas consisted of metals, plastics, tires, insulation, barrels, toilets and other unidentifiable materials. | $4,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Benton | Richland | 8/31/2017 | CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company; and United States Department of Energy | Failed to identify a potentially dangerous waste/white powder found in the long-shuttered PUREX plutonium production plant at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The penalty has been appealed. News release | $16,000 | Randy Bradbury, 509-372-7954 |
| Chelan | Leavenworth | 7/27/17 | Leavenworth Chevron; Teri Bakshish, LLC | Dumped up to 26 gallons of a gas-water mixture down a city-owned stormwater drain at Icicle Quik Stop that led into a nearby creek emptying into the Wenatchee River. | $1,200 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Cowlitz | Castlerock | 8/31/17 | Erosion Control Specialists; Dwain R Buck | Failed to comply with order to stop illegally pumping water from Leckler Creek and continuing to use public water for hydro seeding business without a legal right. Penalty being paid on installments. | $2,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6239 |
| Franklin | Mesa | 9/8/17 | Hi Point Orchards | Burned prohibited materials in a 50’X50’ diameter pile on property owned by Hi Point Orchards. Orchard manager was also burning prohibited material in a barrel. Burn barrels are prohibited. | $5,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| King | Normandy Park | 7/27/17 | Southwest Suburban Sewer District, Burien | Discharged approximately 1 million gallons of wastewater without full treatment into Puget Sound from the Miller Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on 11/8/2016. Failed to immediately report the disinfection system failure. Also ordered to evaluate control and alarm system upgrades and report results to Ecology. Penalty paid. | $5,500 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Kenmore | 7/26/17 | Kenmore Air Harbor | Failed to comply with dangerous waste regulations, including failure to determine whether wastes should be designated as dangerous waste; properly label and close all dangerous waste containers; and keep required records of dangerous waste shipments. Penalty appealed. News release | $25,000 | Larry Altose, 425-649-7009 |
| King | Seattle | 9/12/17 | King County Wastewater Treatment Division | King County West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant discharged untreated wastewater to Puget Sound for 3 days on Feb. 9, 15 and 16, 2017, and partially treated sewage through May 9, 2017. In addition to the fine, King County was ordered to make significant investments to improve safeguards and operations at the plant. Penalty appealed, settlement negotiations under way. News release | $361,000 | Jessie Payne, 360-407-6408 |
| Kittitas | Ellensburg | 9/14/17 | Dollar Way Mini Mart Short Stop, LLC | Failed to comply with reporting and record keeping ($400) and release detection ($800) requirements for petroleum distribution facilites. | $1,200 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Okanogan | Palmer Lake | 8/30/17 | Todd and Brenda Barrett of Graham, WA, Pierce Co. | Failed to remove an unauthorized bulkhead and restore the shoreline, threatening water quality and degrading the shoreline along property they own on Palmer Lake in Okanogan County. News release | $20,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
| Pierce | Puyallup | 8/15/17 | Richard Leone, of Gig Harbor, WA, Pierce Co. | Fined for illegally draining, clearing and filling two protected wetlands totaling 1.5 acres that are situated on approximately 20 acres of forestland in preparation for a development at 17320 82nd Ave E, Puyallup. Mr. Leone will be required to pay for all costs related to the wetlands’ restoration. Penalty has been appealed. News release | $90,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6239 |
| Thurston | Tumwater | 8/15/17 | Black Lake Quarry, LLC | For discharging turbid runoff exceeding the Sand and Gravel General Permit effluent limits, and for incorrect monitoring that did not accurately represent what was being discharged from the treatment pond. | $6,000 | Dave Bennett, 360-407-6239 |
| Walla Walla | Wallula | 9/13/17 | Tony Favero; Tidy Truck Wash Inc. | Violated its waste discharge permit for its self-serve truck wash facility by applying wastewater to an unauthorized site on Dec. 6, 2016. | $9,000 | Brook Beeler, 509-329-3478 |
| Whatcom | Ferndale | 7/21/17 | Albert Kovacevich; F/V Coral Sea; Sandy Point Marina | Fishing vessel Coral Sea sank and spilled 53 gallons of red dye diesel and 11 gallons of black lube oil to Lummi Bay. | $1,000 | Ty Keltner, 360-715-5205 |
| Yakima | Outlook | 9/11/17 | Deaton Land LLC | Spilled approximately 2,700 gallons of oil from an above ground storage tank, 1,900 gallons of which damaged seven miles of Sulphur Creek and 12 miles of the Yakima River, from Mabton to Prosser, over four days in March of 2015. News release. | $28,000 |
Missing penalty from April - June 2017
| County | City | Date Issued | Recipients | Description | Amount | Media contact |
| Benton | West Richland | 5/11/17 | Sun Mart Circle K Stores, Inc. | Failed to comply with release detection requirements at petroleum distribution facility. | $1,000 | Joye Redfield-Wilder, 509-575-2610 |
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