Pollution Update

Warning for Goshen, Inc.: DEQ says to address stormwater issues

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent a warning letter to Goshen, Inc. on Dec. 1 for various water quality-related violations at its “wood recovery” facility on Milliron Road south of Junction City. More specifically, DEQ cited Goshen, Inc. for failing to monitor stormwater discharges, violating effluent limitations and failing to document inspections and employee stormwater education. During its inspection DEQ documented a leaking dumpster, “soils, chip piles and piles of sawdust throughout the facility not being swept/removed at acceptable frequency,” an unidentified source of standing water, and “no source control practices … upstream of the north pond to prevent or minimize oil or other pollutants from entering the pond.” Goshen, Inc. is one of 117 Lane County facilities with Clean Water Act-permitted industrial stormwater discharges to waters of the state. For a list of these facilities, please visit goo.gl/GGFxUD. — Doug Quirke/Oregon Clean Water Action Project