Eugene Weekly

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality sent San Mateo-based J.H. Baxter & Co. a warning letter on March 31 for various hazardous waste law violations discovered by DEQ during an unannounced inspection on March 25 at Baxter’s wood treatment facility in Eugene’s Trainsong neighborhood. Violations included failure to label hazardous waste, failure to conduct required hazardous waste inspections, failure to provide up-to-date contingency plans to first responders and failure to clean up spills. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality sent San Mateo-based J.H. Baxter & Co. a warning letter on March 31 for various hazardous waste law violations discovered by DEQ during an unannounced inspection on March 25 at Baxter’s wood treatment facility in Eugene’s Trainsong neighborhood. Violations included failure to label hazardous waste, failure to conduct required hazardous waste inspections, failure to provide up-to-date contingency plans to first responders and failure to clean up spills. Continue reading →

The city of Eugene sent a “request for corrective action” letter to Gibson Steel Fab, Inc. last month for various Clean Water Act violations, citing Gibson for deficiencies in employee education and monthly inspections, storing several hazardous materials without secondary containment and failing to contain overspray from painting operations so as to prevent it from coming into contact with stormwater. Continue reading →

The city of Eugene sent “request for corrective action” letters to three Eugene businesses, A&K Development Company, Oregon Ice Cream Company and Oregon Tread Rubber Company, in late February for various Clean Water Act violations. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) assessed a penalty of $7,608 against Michael Brown of Oakland, Ore., on March 4 for sewage-related violations at Saginaw Mobile Home Park north of Cottage Grove. DEQ has expressed “particular concern” due to Brown’s “prior history of discharging partially treated sewage onto the ground” and noted that the treatment system at this site “may be causing harm to public health or the environment.” DEQ sent Brown a “warning letter with opportunity to correct” back in November following a DEQ visit to the site in late October. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently sent PeaceHealth a warning letter for hazardous waste law violations discovered by DEQ during an unannounced inspection last month at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. The facility is classified as a “small quantity generator” of hazardous waste because it generates between 220 and 2,000 pounds of hazardous waste per month. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) followed up on the pre-enforcement notice that it sent to Pacific Recycling, LLC in November (EW 1/9, goo.gl/QO7Z1t) with a civil penalty of $2,400 on Feb. 3. DEQ formally cited Pacific Recycling for failing to dispose of hazardous waste at a permitted site, failing to determine if hazardous waste had to be treated prior to land disposal and offering hazardous waste for transport without a hazardous waste manifest. Continue reading →

Comments on the stormwater pollution control plan for Natron Wood Products LLC’s facility in Jasper are due to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) by 5 pm on Feb. 10. Visit goo.gl/ScwdH to see stormwater the plan and goo.gl/iMDQb to comment. Comments to DEQ regarding the erosion and sediment control plan for Phase 3 of Willamalane’s Sports Park on South 32nd Street in Springfield are due by 5 pm on Feb. 11. Visit goo.gl/Yp4iAK for information on how to make arrangements to view the plan and comment. Continue reading →

Comments on the stormwater pollution control plan for Natron Wood Products LLC’s facility in Jasper are due to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) by 5 pm on Feb. 10. Visit goo.gl/ScwdH to see stormwater the plan and goo.gl/iMDQb to comment. Comments to DEQ regarding the erosion and sediment control plan for Phase 3 of Willamalane’s Sports Park on South 32nd Street in Springfield are due by 5 pm on Feb. 11. Visit goo.gl/Yp4iAK for information on how to make arrangements to view the plan and comment. Continue reading →

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. Continue reading →