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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 21, 1999
99-076
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509)
575-2610
Myria Foisy, air quality inspector, (509) 454-7206
YAKIMA - A civil penalty issued last year to a rock-crushing company for failing to control dust emissions at four gravel pits in Central and Eastern Washington has been reduced to $11,000, following a review by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology).
DeAtley Company Inc., of Lewiston, Idaho, applied for relief from a $24,000 civil penalty issued last July. The company was cited for violating its air-quality permits at two rock-crushing sites in Klickitat County and one each in Lincoln and Asotin counties between 1996 and 1998.
In applying for relief, the company provided information that had not been previously considered. After reviewing that information and Ecology files, a decision was made to reduce the penalty.
"Many specific issues are taken into consideration when a penalty is calculated," explained Myria Foisy, an air quality inspector. "For example, Ecology decided to combine a citation for two separate violations stemming from the same illegal practice into one, thus reducing the calculation for this penalty."
Air-quality supervisor Sue Billings noted the penalty reduction in no way signals a relaxation of Ecology’s expectations for rock crushers to follow state air-quality regulations, which include controlling dust emissions.
"Rock crushers are expected to get their permits and follow their permits," Billings said. "Where this is not the case, operators can expect firm enforcement action from Ecology. This is a hotly competitive business in our region. It is important to have a level playing field where all operators are held to the same standards."
State law requires that reasonable precautions be taken at gravel pits and construction projects to prevent dust from becoming airborne and to minimize emissions.
DeAtley may appeal the reduced penalty to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
