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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 1997
97-157
CONTACT: Scott Morrison (360) 407-6292
Mary Getchell (360) 407-6157; Pager (360) 534-8590
Olympia, WA - This week, the Washington Department of Ecology issued a $97,000 penalty to Zimmerly Rock Products for contributing to pollution in Gibbons Creek and Lake Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge, damaging fish habitat with endangered steelhead and salmon. This is the largest penalty Ecology has issued to a sand and gravel operation.
The most significant environmental problem with the site operations occurred in November 1996. The Washougal company's stormwater detention pond failed, causing more than three-million gallons of polluted water to pour into Gibbons Creek and into Lake Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge.
"The detention pond collapse damaged fish habitat that people had spent years restoring. Many people living in the area, working with local, state and federal assistance, had spent millions of dollars and infinite hours helping to restore the fish spawning habitat in Gibbons Creek that was harmed by the detention pond failure," said Scott Morrison, Ecology's southwestern Washington sand and gravel permit manager. "The sand and gravel detention pond failure covered up critical spawning gravel. It may take years for the area to recover."
Ecology issued the penalty for the following permit violations:
"The environmental damage and a long-standing history of not complying with the wastewater discharge permit, prompted us to issue the penalty. The sand and gravel company has been out of compliance with its permit, since nearly the time we issued it in 1995," said Megan White, Ecology's Water Quality Program manager. "For the past two years, we worked with Zimmerly to bring them into compliance with their permit and protect water quality. Unfortunately, the continued technical assistance did not help bring the operation into compliance or further protect the environment."
Zimmerly Rock Products recently changed operators. Currently, CSR Associated operates the rock quarry. CSR is responsible for managing the site's process and storm water discharges, and bringing the facility into compliance with its permit by the end of this month.
Ecology has worked in conjunction with Clark County, the Columbia Gorge Commission, US Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to improve process and storm water management at the site.
Zimmerly Rock Products has 15 days to ask Ecology for relief from the penalty, explaining why Ecology should cancel or reduce it. The company has 30 days to appeal the penalty.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
