DEQ issues nine penalties in May for environmental violations

Statewide, Ore.— The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued nine penalties totaling $808,344 in May for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.

Fines ranged from $2,700 to $648,500. Alleged violations included an asphalt company exceeding permit emission limits, the City of Reedsport discharging raw sewage to waters of the state, and a drug take-back program responsible for collecting and disposing of unused, unwanted and expired medication and sharps violating various provisions of the Oregon drug take-back law.

DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:

• City of Pendleton, Pendleton, $21,900, water quality
• City of Reedsport, Reedsport, $2,700, water quality
• Drug Takeback Solutions Foundation, Salem, $648,500, materials management
• Gary Fisk and Charles Gibson, Cottage Grove, $10,682, underground storage tank
• Humbert Asphalt, Inc., Milton-Freewater, $7,600, air quality
• Jopp Energy Co, Portland, $65,931, stormwater and air quality
• Oregon Dept. of Transportation, Oregon City and West Linn, $13,150, stormwater
• T&K Sester Family, LLC, Gresham, $31,431, water quality
• Willamette Leadership Academy, Eugene, $6,450, water quality

Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury 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.

Media contact: Antony Sparrow, public affairs specialist, 503-887-9113, antony.sparrow@deq.oregon.gov

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