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Department of Ecology News Release - October 2, 2002
02-185
YAKIMA - The Harrison Road Dairy of Sunnyside has been fined $22,000 by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) for repeated water-quality violations, including allowing manure-laden runoff to reach Sulfur Creek and the Yakima River.
The dairy is operated by Charles and Frank Leyendekker and owned by Helen Leyendekker, all of Sunnyside.
On Sept. 18, the department received a report that manure-contaminated water from the dairy's northwest pen was running into the irrigation drain on the north side of the property. Further investigation showed that water from a broken pipe had eroded a path across the pen, allowing the waste water to enter the drainage ditch. Evidence of another eroded path indicated there had been past discharges to the drain.
"Despite receiving a tremendous amount of technical assistance, both from our agency and the local conservation district, we've seen little or no improvements at this dairy," said Tom Tebb, water quality manager in Yakima. "Discharges such as this undermine the work that has gone into cleaning up the creeks and drains along the Lower Yakima River."
The Harrison Road Dairy has a long history of violating water quality laws, including failing to register the dairy as required by state law, operating without a permit, operating without a waste management plan and discharging to waters of the state.
In April 2001, the dairy was fined $6,000 for allowing a lagoon to overflow and for operating without permit coverage. The penalty was not appealed and has not been paid. The dairy continues to operate without a valid waste- management plan.
The Leyendekkers have 15 days to apply to Ecology for relief from the $22,000 penalty and 30 days to appeal the penalty to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/303d/
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
