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Department of Ecology Press Release - November 21, 2005
05-285
BELLEVUE - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined West Coast, Inc. of Everett for a landslide that muddied Portage Creek in Arlington and for other violations earlier this year.
The company's contractor pumped muddy storm water from a construction site on Crown Ridge Boulevard onto the bank of a ravine above the creek on April 6. The bank eroded into the creek. Citizens noticed muddy water flowing into Pioneer Ponds and contacted the City of Arlington.
City inspectors traced the source of muddy water to the West Coast construction site, cited the contractor, and notified Ecology. The next day Ecology responders inspected the eroded bank and noticed muddy water flowing onto the boulevard. The water entered unprotected storm drains that flow into a detention pond that empties into a tributary of Portage Creek. The pumping to the ravine had been discontinued.
"This was completely avoidable," said Kevin Fitzpatrick, a manager in Ecology's water-quality program. "West Coast's stormwater permit for the project requires specific steps to prevent muddy water releases. Contractors on comparable projects use similar practices every day."
Ecology directed the contractor to take corrective steps, and returned to inspect the site two more times. The contractor had installed a filtering system to treat water that discharged into the street, but the water continued to violate state water quality standards.
Portage Creek is a salmon-bearing stream. It runs through the Portage Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, a county park. Local organizations and hundreds of volunteers have planted trees along the stream - in the park and elsewhere - to restore salmon habitat.
West Coast may appeal the penalty to Ecology or to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
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Contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7009
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
