Pollution Update 1-30-14

Lane County recently notified Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) of high pollution levels in effluent discharged from the Glenwood Central Receiving Station to Glenwood Slough during November. Total suspended solids (TSS) and copper levels exceeded the applicable benchmark at three outfalls, while zinc exceeded the benchmark at two outfalls, and lead exceeded at one outfall. The highest TSS sample was over 11 times the benchmark, with the highest copper level at over nine times the benchmark, and zinc at over five times the benchmark. Glenwood Slough flows into the Willamette along the south bank of the river near the I-5 bridge. DEQ referred Mid Valley Metal Recycling LLC to its Office of Compliance and Enforcement for formal enforcement earlier this month for failure to conduct ANY of the required stormwater monitoring at its facility on South A Street in Springfield during the most recent monitoring year.