The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent Tom Hunton (president of Huntons’ Sure Crop Farm Service, Inc.) a warning letter on July 18 for placing wastes in a location where they were likely to escape or be carried into waters of the state. DEQ sent the warning letter in follow up to a May site visit that was prompted by a complaint about Sure Crop’s facility on Milliron Road in Junction City. During the site visit, DEQ observed wastes in a stormwater ditch next to Sure Crop, along with numerous hoses going to the ditch from a farm tank on the site. DEQ characterized the situation as posing “a significant risk of environmental harm” and indicated that it had “significant concerns” about the situation. DEQ stated in its letter that it would refrain from referring the matter for formal enforcement if various corrective actions were taken.

— Doug Quirke/Oregon Clean Water Action Project