Eugene Weekly

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) assessed a penalty of $15,600 against Christopher John Bartels on June 20 for illegally discharging wastewater from his meat processing and packing facility to ditches flowing to wetlands on two occasions in 2011. The facility is located on Central Road, south of Perkins Peninsula Park. According to DEQ, Bartels has made significant improvements to his wastewater treatment and disposal system since the 2011 violations. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) assessed another fine against local residents for pollution from a leaking septic system last week, this time on Tioga Drive in Cottage Grove. DEQ assessed a civil penalty of $11,857 against David and Laura Pendergrass after Lane County discovered the leaking septic in January, and the Pendergrasses failed to respond to three separate letters from DEQ and the county. The discharge appears to be continuing, and DEQ’s order requires it to be eliminated immediately. Continue reading →

Last week, Oregon DEQ assessed civil penalties against Prize Properties and Bennett’s Drain Savers, both of which DEQ sent pre-enforcement notices to in March (EW 3/28, goo.gl/jEZwT; EW 5/2, goo.gl/gz1FR). DEQ assessed a penalty of $15,417 against Eugene-based Bennett’s Drain Savers for performing sewage disposal services without a license and surety bond, including disposal at Heard Farms on Airport Road in Eugene. Continue reading →

The city of Eugene sent Doc’s Pad a notice of violation April 26 for failing to remove food grease from a catch basin that is clearly marked with a “No Dumping” placard. The grease was poured into the catch basin by a Doc’s Pad contractor (C & A Industrial Supplies, Inc., doing business as “Extreme Clean”) on the morning of April 16, and Doc’s Pad was contacted by the city the same morning and told to remove it. Continue reading →

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent Eugene-based Bennett’s Drain Savers a pre-enforcement notice on March 29 for performing sewage disposal services without a current license 697 times between Nov. 16, 2009, and March 6, 2013. DEQ sent Goshen Forest Products a warning letter on April 15 for failing to submit a 2011-2012 industrial stormwater monitoring report. Continue reading →

Comments to Oregon DEQ regarding five local facilities’ industrial stormwater pollution control plans are due by 5 pm April 25. These facilities are: Gary Foglio Trucking (Florence), Oregon Industrial Lumber Products (Springfield), Rosboro Vaughn Complex (Veneta), Seneca Noti (Noti), and SierraPine (Springfield). Visit goo.gl/ScwdH to see stormwater plans, and goo.gl/iMDQb to comment. Continue reading →

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has finalized its order against Tyree Oil, Inc. for Clean Water Act violations (EW 2/14, http://goo.gl/FLqrs).  Oregon DEQ sent CPM Development Corporation a warning letter March 13 for failure to collect required water quality monitoring data at its Eugene Sand & Gravel facility on Coburg Road along the north bank of the McKenzie River. Failure to collect such data is classified as a serious violation of Oregon environmental law. Continue reading →

Oregon DEQ sent CPM Development Corporation a warning letter March 13 for failure to collect required water quality monitoring data at its Eugene Sand & Gravel facility on Coburg Road along the north bank of the McKenzie River. Failure to collect such data is classified as a serious violation of Oregon environmental law. Continue reading →

The City of Eugene has referred Pacific Recycling to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for enforcement regarding violations at its facility on Cross Street near Roosevelt Boulevard. The referral concerns two different Clean Water Act violations. First, Pacific Recycling has failed to submit a plan to the city regarding how it will reduce high pollution levels in stormwater discharges from the site. The city has sent Pacific Recycling three separate letters since November 2012 seeking such a plan, to no avail. Continue reading →