Eugene Weekly

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Shola Adeniji (doing business as Shola’s Quality Plus Cleaners, located on Bailey Hill Road in Eugene) $525 on Sept. 19 for failing to submit an annual report for 2015 to DEQ. Continue reading →

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent Pacific Sea Food Co. Inc. (doing business as Pacific Shrimp, Inc.) a pre-enforcement notice on Sept. 6 for violating its Clean Water Act permit by discharging pollution to Yaquina Bay in Newport in excess of permit limits in June. DEQ fined Pacific Sea Food $17,800 in October 2015 for similar violations at multiple facilities in Newport; however, it appears that DEQ entered into a settlement with Pacific Sea Food that allowed Pacific Sea Food to pay just $3,560 of that fine.    Continue reading →

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent Chicago-based MHC NAC (formerly National American Corporation) a warning letter on Aug. 22 for monitoring and sampling violations of its sewage permit for South Jetty RV & Campground, located on South Jetty Road in Florence. The violations date to 2011, and some of them appear to have occurred every year from 2011 through 2015. DEQ “is concerned that additional permit violations may continue to occur in the future.” DEQ also sent Hull-Oakes Lumber a warning letter on Aug. Continue reading →

On July 26, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Jason and Rachel Shannon $15,885 for illegally discharging sewage to the ground at their property on East Bolton Road in Veneta. DEQ also issued an order to the Shannons requiring them to connect to the city of Veneta’s sewer system by Aug. Continue reading →

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on May 27 sent a warning letter to Jason and Rachel Shannon of Veneta for illegally discharging sewage to the ground at their property on East Bolton Road in Veneta. DEQ’s letter requested that the Shannons take steps to prevent additional illegal discharges, cordon off the affected area “to prevent human and animal contact,” and disinfect the affected area. Continue reading →

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Junction City $1,000 last week for discharging elevated levels of ammonia to Flat Creek from its wastewater treatment plant in December, January, February and April. The city’s discharges take place pursuant to an expired Clean Water Act permit issued by DEQ in 2007. Continue reading →

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Pacific Recycling, Inc. $12,374 last week for Clean Water Act violations at its Eugene metal recycling facility (located at 3300 Cross Street). Pacific Recycling has a history of environmental violations (and associated fines) at this facility (see goo.gl/kkGA0D), and this most recent fine is for failure to monitor its stormwater discharges during the first half of 2015. Continue reading →

It’s come to light since last week’s Pollution Update that in addition to the warning letter the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently sent to the Springfield Target Store (store number 612, located at Gateway Mall) for hazardous waste law violations, the Springfield Target was one of four Oregon Target stores that were assessed a penalty of $6,850 by DEQ on May 13 for failing to obtain authorization for “underground injection control” (UIC) systems. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently sent a warning letter to the Springfield Target Store (store # 612, located at Gateway Mall) for hazardous waste law violations. The store is designated as a “large quantity generator” of hazardous waste because it generates more than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste per month. DEQ’s warning letter identifies reporting and inspection violations, and notes that DEQ had to contact Target Headquarters due to the unavailability of records at the Springfield store. DEQ also recently sent Maryland-based W.R. Grace & Co. Continue reading →