Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently sent Shell Oil Products Company a warning letter for failing to have the wastewater system at its Halsey facility, near I-5 and Highway 228, supervised by a certified operator. DEQ considers this a serious violation of the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act permit for this facility expired on June 30, 2011.

DEQ has issued a draft permit for Weyerhaeuser’s Truck Road Landfill, located in Springfield southeast of Mt. Vernon Road and Bob Straub Parkway. This 20-acre landfill received industrial solid waste (e.g., log pond dredgings, pulp waste, lime grits, boiler fly ash and general wood waste) generated by the wood products industry during its operation, and was closed in 1982. Nearby groundwater is affected by leachate from the landfill, though the nearest downgradient groundwater user is approximately 2,400 feet from the landfill boundary. Public comments are being accepted until 5 pm on Jan. 14.

DEQ has issued a draft permit covering 163 City of Eugene dry wells, which are “stormwater management facilities that collect stormwater runoff from adjacent areas and direct it into the ground.” DEQ received the city’s permit application in July of 2002 (over 10 years ago). The draft permit has a duration of 10 years and, among other things, requires the city to prepare a stormwater monitoring plan; a system-wide assessment of dry wells; a dry well management plan; and an annual dry well report. Public comments are being accepted until 5 pm on Jan. 15.

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